I had a friend who had a pocketful of black-eyed pea seeds in his
pocket wherever he went. I caught him
poking the earth in a public planter one day and sticking in a seed. He showed
me his ‘stash’ of black-eyed peas from his pocket and explained that he liked
to make things grow. Later in the summer he would come by to see if it took
root. This he said with a very wry smile as if he was daring Mother Nature to
refuse his efforts of love. I’ll always compare him to our own Johnny Appleseed,
planting apple seeds and orchards across America.
Sowing the seeds of love and peace is a dauntless task. It seldom
takes the first try. Lessons must be learnt, the elements analyzed and weather
cooperative. There’s always follow up to your efforts to see fruition.
To distribute peace, we must first know peace. Many people seek to
find their calm by visiting nature. There is a harmony that can’t be denied
when sitting in a forest or nurturing a garden. If you can’t find one, create
one. Create it in whatever way or manner given you to find your peace. Don’t
get overwhelmed thinking you must run to your local nursery with a charge card
in hand to buy all your supplies. Start small…a bud vase in your car works
wonders. Try flowers on your desk. A sticker on your backpack makes a great
statement. A wry smile on your face, because of these items, makes a difference
in your life.
Pope John Paul II started International Peace Gardens to remind us
that we must be diligent in the cause of peace. The USA and Canada share a
Peace Garden celebrating the longest
unfortified border between two countries in the world. Additional sites are listed below for varying
peace gardens; some are for meditations and some are for growing produce for
communities. All have in common the vision for peace for the future and the
spiritual growth of humanity.
Peace.
Cathy
Johnny Appleseed: http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdchap.htm
Non-Profit Peace Garden Resource: http://www.worldpeacegardens.org/index.htm
US & Canada: http://www.peacegarden.com/
Paleaku: http://www.paleaku.com/
Muhammad Ali Peace Garden: http://www.mypeacegarden.com/
International Peace Garden: http://www.internationalpeacegardens.org/
Pope John Paul II: http://ipgf.blogspot.com/2007/08/first-childrens-intl-peace-garden.html
Tears For Fears; Sowing
the Seeds of Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbvxALFWvHs
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