Walking the Path of Peace


The other morning, while walking my dog, Logan, at the nature preserve near my house, I ran into a dear old friend named Harry. Harry is not his real name. Rather it is one he chose when he fled to the US from his home in Burma decades ago. Harry always greets me with a big smile and handshake, followed by a hearty laugh,“Good morning, kind sir” he says. Harry is the epitome of the Buddhist expression, Walk the path of peace. “Only when you live in truth, can your heart be at peace,” he reminds me often. I asked Harry what he thought of all the recent changes in his home country, including the election of the beloved Aung San Suu Kyi. He smiled from ear to ear. “Things are changing fast in Burma, he explained. “The democracy underway is like being a little bit pregnant. As a rebel fighter many decades ago, I fought for freedom against an oppressive regime, but I had to flee to save my life, so I came here to the land of the free. I have waited a long time for this in my country, but this is only a baby step. We shall see. Once you have the taste of freedom, you can never eat dirt again.” Harry ended his conversation this day by taking me to his car and showing me some photos of his hometown in Burma. I walked home with new sense of appreciation of the path of peace we strive to walk in our efforts for a better world.

Stress Tip for the Day:

Today give thanks for your freedom, particularly the freedom to speak your mind without being arrested. Give thanks for living in a country where freedom is honored. The “path of peace” is a path of conscience, being conscious of your thoughts, words and actions in an effort to make this a better world, all of which is done with an open heart. No matter where you walk today, walk with a sense of conscience. Speak the truth (always with diplomacy). Be kind to your fellow neighbor (this includes all humans). Smile as you greet people, no matter who they are. Walk proud of your heritage, yet walk humble as a planetary citizen, doing good for all. This, Harry reminds me, is how you walk the path of peace.

Links, Books and Movies Worth Noting:

A new movie, The Lady, about the life of Aung San Suu Kyi will be released soon. It depicts the story of one of the most amazing triumphs of the human spirit and it is highly recommended.

Quote for the Day:

“Fear is not the natural state of a civilized people.” —Aung San Suu Kyi

Photo for the Day:

Harry asked me NOT to take his photo. He still feels rather sensitive about keeping a low profile in the land of the free. So in honor of his homeland of Burma, I downloaded an image off the Internet (with credit and thanks to the photographer). Enjoy!

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 12 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (7e) and the newly released, A Beautiful World: The Earth Song Journals. He can be reached through his website: www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Brian Luke Seaward

Author Brian Luke Seaward

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