Peace. Peace is a hard thing to find in our crazy, hyper-connected world. It is what world alliances spend billions of dollars a year trying to find and thousands of charities raise millions in funds for. The concept itself is a bit elusive. What does peace mean? I think that depends partly on what context one is defining it by. However, I also think that in some ways peace is the same to all of us. Peace in its simplest form is being content, feeling happy with where you stand in life, happy for the love you have and things you have accomplished, a nod to the universe that you are pleased with where you stand.
Society today demands so much of mere mortals. I am sure this is true for every age, but man, do I feel like I have a lot of expectations weighing upon me at the age and place I am at right now. In general, society idealizes getting good grades, being fit and/or athletic, being a good person, being involved and leading in a whole bunch of organizations, having a lot of friends, and looking the part. Plus getting eight plus hours of sleep a night. Now, I am sure that there are wonderfully talented and organized people in the world who can manage all of that in a twenty-four hour period with a smile on their face. I, however, am not one of them. I am messy, probably kind of crazy, and very cranky when not properly caffeinated. For someone like me being super involved in all of these activities, especially with a smile on my face and not obsessing about what I have to do next is hard.
It is so hard, to do all of this and at the end of the day be okay with my results. I want to do great in everything and so my tendency is to stress out and shut out things that make me happy in order to reach this end goal I have in my head. Now I am not saying that this is completely bad. In some ways, it's good because it makes me more driven and willing to put the work in. However, I tend to obsess over every expectation and beat myself up when I don’t supersede it.
I think maybe the answer to my unspoken question is to find peace and enjoyment in the little things. I tend to run through life with my book bag on, shoulders hunched, water bottle and soccer bag in hand. I have things I need to do- and that will never change. However, I think the answer to the misery and isolation I put myself through is to find the peace and enjoyment in the small things and little victories in life that I tend to run past on my way to the finish line. Look for accomplishment in a compliment, joy in a morning cup of coffee, a breath in a good quiz grade, and love in a good talk with a friend.
Peace is elusive and its hard to find, but I think it also is the kind of thing where a little bit can go a long way. Peace can make all the difference in a bad day and even a bad week, I think a whole day of netflix and junk food is amazing but, at least for me, those days are few and far between. So, without finding peace in the little things I run the risk of losing my joy and sense of happiness and self with what I am doing. And if I lose that, then what is the point in working so hard toward a goal anyways?
