In this space each month, I hope District Rotarians will take a moment to think about Peace. Perhaps in taking that moment, you will think about Peace differently. And think differently about what you can do as an individual or a Rotary Club to bring about Peace. When Rotary first designated Peace and Conflict Resolution as an area of focus, I think many of us initially thought about Peace as…. War and Peace. Something BIG and removed from anything we could influence. But, studying the Rotary resources and club programs around Peace shows us there is much that can be addressed by us as individuals and through our Rotary Clubs.
At the recent International Convention in Melbourne, a session on Peace suggested we could begin viewing Peace through a lens of looking at our own lives and increasing the peace we seek each day as individuals. Or, the presenters further suggested, increasing peace within a family or between families could be a beginning Peace focus. These efforts help make us conscious of peace-seeking efforts in the broader contexts of our communities, country and our world. They can be a beginning of focusing on peace.
As a first step to focus on Peace, I offer up these two contexts for a Peace focus for you and, perhaps, for work within your club. Peace as a focus for individuals and families is a good beginning. As the months go by, I’ll focus on Rotary Resources and programs and always try to end with a recommended action step.
Action step – plan for how you will focus on some peaceful moments in your own life. Also, you could borrow an idea put forth by Wyoming Rotarian, Club President Mandy Fabel. Mandy gives her club members 2-3 minutes each week for each person at a table to share one thing for which they are grateful. At the conclusion of the sharing, members know each other a little better and a feeling of gratefulness is increased.