The often quoted mantra attributed to Mohandas Gandhi is “Be the change you want to see in the world.” The famous peacemaker was saying that if you want to see any kind of radical shift, you must first be that shift. This is profound wisdom and rings true for every area of life.
If you want to have peace in your immediate world – in your family, in your work life, in your spiritual life – then you must first be the peace you wish to have. You cannot want peace in your life and constantly be in a state of chaotic stress and yelling bouts. Once you calm down to the level of peace you want to see, you will be amazed at how your immediate surroundings will match your level of peace.
It has been said that you cannot fight fire with fire. How many times have you raised your voice either to be heard or to get your point across – or both? What did the other person do? I can bet they raised their voice as well; perhaps even louder. Soon you were just two people yelling at one another; no one was actually listening to the other. This is not peace; this is not even conversation. It is two very loud monologues. Not very productive, I must say. But what if you lowered your voice instead of raising it? Or, what if you just stopped talking for a moment and simply listened? Yes, a novel idea! But what tends to happen is true conversation, true dialogue; not two angry and loud monologues. If you truly want peace, you must make the effort to create peace in your environment.
Ever noticed that when you whisper to someone, they will whisper back; and even ask, “Why are we whispering?” Pretty funny! But it is the power of being what you want to have. You want to have peace, you must be peace. You want to have health, you must be health. You want to have love, you must be love. You will never receive back what you yourself are not willing to give. It is in giving that we receive, as the prayer states.
So, just for today, be the peace, the love, the change you wish to see in the world.
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