Peace

My father was also a refugee as a child during the Second World War, just like the Syrian refugees with no more than a suitcase on the way. His house bombed. His father was shot dead in this war.

It was a closed book for him, but we knew and felt as children what he carried with him. He has never been able to find peace with it.

My daughter has been living in a convent for 2 years where she prays every day with dozens of young sisters for good and for peace on this earth.

In the meantime, refugees arrive every day who, like my father, know what it is like when there is hatred and war.

During the week of peace I spent a lot of time in the Valkhof Chapel and looked at the flame that stood there. A flame united with all the flames of the world. The connection between all people on this earth.  It radiates the good that can be found in every human being.

There were many touching moments. People showed the good here. There has been a lot of meditation and many encounters. Beautiful, loving encounters. The cordiality with which the volunteers of the chapel shared this place with us. The commitment of all the groups that often kept vigil at night by the flame of peace.

Meanwhile, people were dying of starvation, women were being raped, people were becoming homeless.

The duality in the world is great. It also refers to the duality within myself, when I think I’m right, when I’m angry and all kinds of feelings go through me.

What, then, is peace to me? After a week of doing that,  I think for  me  it’s sharing the silence that allows you to step out of duality and where love can be.

I hope that all those little drops of peace that are  there can bring light to all the suffering in the world.

Carol

Photo: transfer of the flame of peace to Manja on behalf of representatives of Het Pad.
Below: dinner and photos of the light ceremony in the Tempelhof, the studio of the artist duo Huub and Adelheid Kortekaas, the designers of our logo. Manja handed over the flame to Femmigje Kortekaas, their daughter. 
Pictures below: Valkhof Chapel by Willem Kienhuis and meditation by Rigpa Nijmegen.