“Peace Begins with a Smile” ~ Mother Teresa
Remembrance Day provides us with an opportunity to contemplate peace and what it means for each us individually. If we want peace in the world and in our communities we need to begin with peace in our homes.
- We feel peaceful when we feel accepted for who we are
- We feel peaceful when we are surrounded by positive energy such as joy, laughter, love and encouragement
- We feel peaceful when we feel connected to the people we love.
In the book, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, the author, Marshall Rosenberg encourages readers to engage in effective communication by “expressing honestly and receiving empathically”.
If we can state clearly what we are observing, feeling, needing and what we would like to request to enrich our lives, then we will be taking responsibility for ourselves and not blaming or judging others.
If we can empty our minds and respectfully understand what another person is experiencing, even if it’s a different perspective from our own, we can defuse anger and frustration peacefully.
We can then create peaceful families based on peaceful and respectful conflict resolution.
Do you treat your spouse or partner with the same respect that you treat your best friend? Your children model from you.
Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
“Be the change you want to see in the world”
~ Gandhi
Peace to you, your family and our world,
Warmly,
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Great reminder! Thank you for posting the Dorothy Law Nolte’s quotes! The book was my bible when my children were small. I forgot all about it, but I think I am going to pull it out from the book shelf and read it again! Thank you!
Interesting to watch my own children raise my grandchildren… and a constant challenge to stay quiet and simply observe. 🙂
Your post was a really nice reminder to how one should live..Thanks for sharing
I love that saying-thanks so much for posting it. i should have it hanging up. in my kitchen i have the “on children” part of The Prophet by Khalil Gibran- i actually got that tattooed on my upper back.
On Remembrance Day I took my little one to walk the labrynth at St Pauls church, there was kirtan and singing bowls and it was a lovely way to remember those passed. Thanks Sharon.
great reminders for our daily interactions, thanks Sharon! i have never come across that quote from Dorothy Law Nolte before – i’ll definitely try to keep those thoughts in mind the next time i find myself in the company of children 🙂