Peace. Everybody wants it. But not a lot of people are willing to work to get it or make it happen. Whether you are listening to songs about peace, marching for it, wishing for it or making it as cliché as a speech in a beauty pageant – the thing that people don’t realize is that peace begins with each of us.

One of our favorite songs here at Zen Evolution TV is “Let There Be Peace On Earth and Let It Begin With Me.” And the reason we love this song is because it’s true.

If you want there to be world peace, but you live a life damning others and cannot accept every person you meet despite your differences, you’re a hypocrite for wanting peace that can’t happen, because you’re part of the problem.

Here at ZETV we are multi-cultural. We employ every color on the planet. Every person who works here has a different religious, ethnic and social class background. We have straights and Gays and Transgender. We have people of all ages, married, single, divorced – from high school to elderly. All shapes, all colors, all sizes. We accept each other’s differences. We have people here who are carnivores and vegans working side-by-side. We have people who differ on their political viewpoints. The only thing that matters is that we have love and peace in our hearts, souls and beings. We are all-loving and all-accepting and we are peaceful, because we don’t discriminate. We embrace differences.
And we are human and no one is perfect, but we accept that, also.

The point is, we cannot have Zen and share it with you, if we are not Zen ourselves. We cannot promote peace if we are not, ourselves peaceful beings.
Acceptance and love are the answer. Tolerance and understanding are tools. Communication and celebration of each person’s uniqueness is part of what makes us whole, what makes us different and what makes each person special, not superior to the next.

If we can move forward in life, not sweating the small stuff and not over-dramatizing what we cannot control and instead work with a pro-active mind and heart in showing up each day as the best loving beings we can be – wouldn’t the world be a beautiful place to be?

What if today were your last day? Would you want it to be spent, agonizing over someone taking your parking spot, or having a fight with a loved one, or showing up as your worst possible self – and that being the very last thing people remember about you?

We know that not everyday can be perfect. And none of us are perfect. But if we were to embrace each day as is and enjoy it and spread joy and love to all those around us, even in the most challenging of times, being helpful and supportive and positive, wouldn’t that be how we would want to show up?

Life is short. We must remember what matters most. And if peace is the answer, then can’t we propose the question of what would you do to have peace in your heart each day? And shouldn’t that be the action you take on everyday?

Namaste. Peace to all.

Stacey Kumagai- Zen Goddess 9, Integrity & Wisdom and all your friends at Zen Evolution TV