What is Peace?

Following on from my last blog post: `Lord Make me an Instrument of Your Peace`, this next one is prompted by my discovery of a little piece of paper in my file with this very thought provoking story:

`There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains too, but these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the angry rush of water, sat the mother bird on her nest...perfect peace.

The king chose the second picture. Why? `Because`, explained the king, `peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all these things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.`

I love this, and it seems particularly relevant at this time when we are all being tested in many ways with the continuing uncertainty caused by the corona virus and its repurrcussions in our personal lives. So, like the little bird sitting on her nest amidst the storm, let`s try to keep steady and calm no matter what, and, as White Eagle says in THE QUIET MIND: `Keep your line of contact clear. Be tranquil and serene. A Master is never perturbed.`