Wednesday, May 24, 2023 (photo: By Danielle Buma - https://www.flickr.com/photos/-elleinad-/2346416107/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=115451404)
This is an expression, coined in the 1960s, which was used as a slogan at anti-war rallies to support ending the war in Vietnam. There is a brief description of it on Wikipedia. There was also a book published in 2001, David Allyn’s Make Love, Not War: The Sexual Revolution. My comments here are not about either one of those two contexts. My thoughts have to do with being kind and compassionate in what we do, particularly in how we think and how we communicate, rather than being in a frame of mind such as antagonistic or hurtful in any way. This includes thinking about and communicating with others, with people and animals, and it includes the way you think about yourself, too! Be as loving as you can be towards yourself and others. Do not be hurtful towards yourself or others. Try to create a positive environment, within your mind, heart, and spirit, and project this outward. Take the time to cultivate this, in the morning when you wake up, at times during the day, when you go to sleep at night. Take a few minutes, more if you have it, to meditatively nurture a good thought and feeling within yourself.
We all want peace, not tension, in our head and hearts. We all want Love, Not War, inside of us. Our minds and emotions can become complicated and heavy at times, even daily, so, finding a way to relieve any tension seems like a good idea. Self-compassion, self-love, and transferring that via empathy for others can be helpful.
Each of us might have a different way of creating this positive state inside of us, creating it as a mellow pond of calm, or a large reservoir of vibrant activity, or I am sure you can think of other metaphors. Do what works for you, and share with others.
I met a woman while hiking in Moab in April. Her name is Brooke. She caught up to me as we were hiking, smiled at me and said, “Hi, I think we are going to be friends and good hiking pals. What’s your name?” We walked together for about an hour chit-chatting about several things. Where are you from, what do you do, etc. Wide open. She was friendly. One other thing I noted about her was she gave a number of compliments to others walking on the trail, as we passed briefly. It was interesting and inspiring to watch and hear. “I like that hat!” That shirt, the color looks good on you!” “Those are nice shoes you have. I want a pair!” Quick statements in a friendly tone, and on we walked, not stopping, just moving along. It cost her nothing and it seemed to energize her as well as those she spoke to. That's one example.
As I am writing this, I am listening to Spotify, and there’s a catchy-rhythm tune on, I like it. The song is titled Hope by a duo named Gidge. Seemed appropriate. The next song was titled Get On, by an artist Feathered Sun
Putting the two songs together, I Hope you have a great day. Get On with it …
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