To the Editor:
Gift giving is the thing to do this time of year. With all the extra stress and demands on our time and in our families, taking a moment to pause, breathe deeply, and relax is a wonderful and free gift that can bring calm and strength – a “peace moment” if you will. Give the gift of a “peace moment” to yourself as you anxiously wait in a long line at the department or grocery store, hoping to get home earlier rather than later. Pass the gift of a “peace moment” by simply pausing to listen to a family member, a co-worker, or a neighbor.
Consider turning off the TV and other electronics for an hour and play a board game or read a Christmas story with your family. Treat yourselves to one of the many free or low-cost activities or events in your community: e.g., taking a walk, playing in the snow, purchasing a one-day family pass at the YWCA or YMCA, ice skating, bowling and attending church services. St. Francis of Assisi extended the greeting of “Peace and all good” to each person he encountered.
May you have many “peace moments” in these times and notice the difference you make in our world.
Sr. Nancy Miller, OSF,
Co-coordinator, Center for Active Nonviolence & Peacemaking
Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton
