Peace Quote

"World peace is us....We are each walking agents of the vision of peace we carry inside us."

Kathleen Vande Kieft

Film Link: The Story of Stuff

http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html

Book Review

The key idea in the book is that men (people) often crave war because of the meaningfulness of its mythic dimension -- the 'I am a warrier' identity deep in our culture. Achilles, Odysseus in the Greeks. Julius Caesar, Constantine, Charlemagne and the mythic King Arthur. But the reality of contemporary war is not quick victories but the slogging through seemingly endless horror & brutality that can lead to loss of any sense of meaning. Men and women returning from Iraq & Afghanistan need to be heard; they need to speak of what they have seen and their understanding of it. They can 'embrace the life-affirming, protective capacities of the warrior spirit and practice a living spirituality.' This spirituality includes embracing the caring comradeship experienced. "The veteran must grow a new identity large enough to surround and carry those traumatic experiences. And he or she must call the soul back into service as the community's witness not only to horror but also to love." Further, Tick writes, "traditional cultures performed rituals that lifted responsibility off their warriors and transferred it to the people as a whole....both civilians and leaders would acknowledge that they, and not their warriors, were the ones accountable." The usual American lauding of patriotism in public celebration days fails to achieve this spiritual process. Tick, a clinical psychotherapist, has worked on ways to help returning warriors from Iraq achieve a new spiritual identity. He is the director of Sanctuary: A Center for Mentoring the Soul, in Albany, NY.

Light a Virtual Candle for Peace

Light a virtual candle for peace at www.candlesforpeace.com

Involvement at Hope College Course: Psychology of Peace & Gender

On Wednesday November 7, 2007, Sara, Norma, and Beth took part in a classroom discussion at Hope College. The name of the course taught by Jean Dickie is "Psycholgy of Peace and Gender". The goal of the exercise was to look at your values and where they came from and then to apply those values to leading a more peaceful life. The textbook in use was Working for Peace by MacNair. The quote for reflection on the board was:

"People are spurred into action not so much by knowing the right facts and numbers as by hearing stories and developing a worldview that makes sense of the confusion and contradiction in their lives."

Peace Quote & Music Video Link

"We discovered that peace at any price is no peace at all."- Eve Curie

Enjoy this John Mellencamp video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oRcPdAUP1k

More Book Reviews

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (author of the Kite Runner) is a compelling novel which follows two Afghan women through the last thirty years of Afghanistan's turbulent history. It chronicles life under Taliban rule and shows the impact of war and civil unrest on ordinary--yet very extraordinary--women. The stories of Mariam and Laila intersect when they find themselves married to the same harsh man. This book is recommended for Women for Peace because it shows vividly the impact of culture and war on women and widens the horizons of our awareness. Frankly it is a novel that is hard to set aside. It make keep you reading all night!

The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolen provides the deep context of the Israel/Palestine confilct, through the portrait of two families who have occupied the same house. One sees first the Palestinian family, their love for the house and the lemon tree, and how they were forced to flee their home. Then one meets the Israeli family that come to love the same house. When Bashir (the Arab) visits his former home and meets Dalia ( a Jew) , a very unsual friendship begins. The efforrts of both families for peace are remarkable. The role of the house and lemon tree in this peace quest illustrates the hope and the despair of the two cultures.

Book Review "Three Cups of Tea"

This book highlights that one person can make a difference and that education is a foundation for peace.

October Meeting

There is a wonderful link to check out on the right: viewzone.com. "The Native Elders Talk"
Check it out!!

My quote for the week comes from Mother Teresa: "Peace Begins with a Smile". Try that as you move through the week:)

Next Meeting: Sept. 7, 2007 "Reflections on Women and Peace-Making" 7:00PM

Psychology Professor Jane Dickie of Hope College teaches a class entitled "Psychology of Peace and Gender". She will open reflecions on Sept. 7, 2007 7:00 PM at the Peace Pole in Smallenburg Park. This will be followed by sharing from members of Lakeshore Women for Peace and those attending.

August Meeting- Iraq's Humanitarian Needs

According to a July 30, 2007 report from Oxfam International:

• Four million Iraqis- 15% regularly cannot buy enough to eat.
• 70% are without adequate water supplies, compared to 50% in 2003.
• 28% of children are malnourished, compared to 19% before the 2003 invasion.
• 92% of Iraqi children suffer learning problems, mostly due to the climate of fear.
• More than two million people- mostly women and children- have been displaced inside Iraq.
• A further 2 million Iraqis have become refugees, mainly in Syria.

Ways to respond:

The Good Shepherd Sisters are working with refugees in a Damascus, Syria camp with medical need as the focus. Send donations to: Clare Nolan, RGS, UN Office of the Good Shepherd Sisters 211 East 43rd Street, Suite 302, New York, NY 10017. Also, find links on this blog to other charitable organizations.