Friday; July 16

There are certain people in history that I would like to meet and one of them is Benjamin Franklin. The first reason I would like to meet Mr. Franklin is that he appears to be a pretty engaging fellow – and the second reason is to see if he really did communicate everything he is credited with saying and writing. If he said everything he is credited with saying, he must have been a bright and insightful guy!
The other day, I came across a quip credited to him, “There never was a good war or a bad peace.”. As I pondered this, I found myself steering clear of it on a national level and applying it to my own personal life. As I look back, I can’t say that I have ever enjoyed being at odds with someone, nor have I regretted the tranquil relationships I’ve had. I can’t ever recall saying, “Man, I wish someone would get mad at me.” nor have I ever thought, “I’ll be glad when this peaceful coexistence with so-and-so finally ends”. I agree with Franklin, “Conflict is bad, quiet is good.”
I would imagine that most people would agree with me and Ben, so why do we struggle with conflict in our lives? If we want tranquility so much, why do spend so much time courting ill will? Why don’t we spend more time forgiving people and less time firing them up?
For the most part, we get to determine the level of peace in our lives. What are we willing to do to ensure peace with others? Is it worth the effort?

Think About It!

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