There was once a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of Peace. Many artists entered. The King looked at all the pictures and then picked only two that he had to choose between. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, with peaceful, towering mountains all around it. Overhead was blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought it was the perfect picture of Peace. 

 

The other picture had mountains, too, yet they were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell and in which lightning flashed. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This picture did not look peaceful at all. However, when the King looked closer, he saw behind the waterfall, a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush, a mother bird had built her nest. There in the midst of the rush of water and noise and lightening up above, sat the mother bird on her nest…in perfect peace.

 

You probably guessed that the King chose the second picture. The King explained, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of Peace.”

 

What would your painting of peace look like?

 

Valerie

 

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