Words That Build World Peace

BY ARLENE HARDER, MA, MFT

Explore a quotation, affirmation, fact, phrase or question that you believe can build world peace.

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.

Albert Einstein

It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Words are always used to support the "rightness" of each side of a conflict. Words paint the opponent as the embodiment of evil and oneself as firmly on the side of God. Words rally forces on the battlefield and supporters on the homefront. Words are necessary for wars to start—and to continue.

Words are also part of the movement toward peace, and we certainly could use a bit less inflammatory speech and art these days.

Even when we feel a need to defend our position, within each of us is a yearning for peace, and there are some words (and pictures) that are able to reach that desire within our hearts. If well applied, these words can make a difference. They can create a force to encourage all of us to step away from the brink and view our differences in a more conciliatory fashion.

© 1999, Revised 2006, Arlene Harder, MA, MFT

SHARING WORDS THAT BUILD WORLD PEACE

What words do you feel are the best words to use if we want to encourage world peace? Perhaps if we share the words, we will, together, help create a safer and less troubled world.

You are invited to submit words—a quotation, affirmation, fact, phrase, or question—you believe best support the effort to build world peace. You are especially invited to share what it is about those words that make them noteworthy.

Send an email with less than 400 words to comments@support4change.com. In the subject line write "Words That Build World Peace."

If you're willing to have your submission published on this site, be certain to say that specifically.