| I may as well cop to my not-so-hidden agenda. I am | | | | encompassing all other values. |
| here on earth to help create peace. I've been | | | | I'm with the illustrious Eleanor Roosevelt who said, |
| working with personal peace for a long time. Peace is | | | | "For it isn't enough to talk about peace. One must |
| my mission, my passion, my fun. I have files of | | | | believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One |
| peace quotes. I've written a theatre piece about the | | | | must work at it." So what would it take by way of |
| women who've won the Nobel Peace Prize. I'd love | | | | definition to make you, personally, not only talk about |
| to make a big enough difference for peace on this | | | | peace, but also believe in it, and work at it as well? |
| planet that I could win it! So you can imagine my | | | | You see, unless peace is personal, then it stays a |
| delight, I'm sure, when the Global Peace Index (a was | | | | concept. Concepts are nice, but unless they have |
| rolled out all over the world. | | | | practical applications, they stay . . . well, conceptual. |
| Basically, the Index rates 121 countries on 24 | | | | What I've come to believe, because I've experienced |
| variables that contribute to peace in a nation. Norway | | | | it, is that peace, as a concept, a topic of |
| is #1. Iraq is #121. (These two make sense to me.) | | | | conversation, a belief and an action, has magic in it. I'll |
| The Netherlands (Ode's original home) is #20. (Bravi!) | | | | tell you why: it's because we have NO IDEA what life |
| The United States, where I live, is #96. (There is no | | | | will be like if we each choose peace as our guiding |
| other way to say this: I am appalled.) | | | | principle. |
| I'm not going to go into the structure of the Index. | | | | Here's a suggestion. The next time you notice that |
| It's there for the delectation of statisticians the world | | | | you don't feel peaceful, stop, breathe, and ask within |
| over, among whom I do not number myself. | | | | yourself what you might think, say or do that would |
| However, I do want to address what peace is | | | | create peace in your situation. You should pardon the |
| because I don't think there yet exists a broad | | | | cliche, but practice, dear one, makes perfect. Or, at |
| enough definition. | | | | the very least, a step on the path toward perfect. |
| The GPI website opens with this: "Peace is a | | | | I think we need more personal experience with |
| powerful concept. However, the notion of peace, and | | | | peace, and when we get it, we'll find that there |
| its value in the world economy, is poorly understood." | | | | aren't competing definitions of peace any more. |
| There are competing definitions of peace. . . .? | | | | Instead, there will be as many complementary |
| There are competing definitions of peace, and not | | | | definitions of peace as there are people practicing it; |
| only that, I believe that there doesn't yet exist a big | | | | complementary peaces, if you will. How about if we |
| enough definition for peace that will make all beings | | | | start right now? |
| on the planet stand up and agree to its value as | | | | |