• Tweet
• Sharebar

• Tweet

My friend Chiedza is a very talented (like Prince is talented) singer/songwriter/musician. His music rocks, but his live show with backup band rocks even harder. Back when everyone else was saying “Peace” or “Peace Out”  to end a conversation, Chiedza used to say instead  “Have Peace”.  It just seemed more heartfelt and sincere to me.

What’s stealing your peace these days? There are the obvious things I am sure: unemployment,  debt, the economy. I hear tell that America is going down (heard it at my own kitchen table, so I guess it must be true); some folks think it’s the end of the world and we are heading into Armageddon or the Rapture or whatever they think happens at the end.

Slow down people. You know when I first came to America there was a lot of talk about the end of the world then too.  Lemme give you the problems and the playlist from my youth:

1. The country was in the middle of a war overseas that no one wanted (“Bring The Boys Home” by Freda Payne,”War”  by Edwin Starr, the saddest of all “The Green Green Grass of Home” by Porter Wagoner(?))
2. Air pollution and species extinction had people worried about “the ecology” (“Mercy, Mercy me (The Ecology)” by Marvin Gaye). In 1970 my teacher told me that we would be wearing gas masks by the time I grew up, I believed her.
3. Soldiers were coming back from Ira.. I mean Vietnam strung out on dope , and a lot of the peeps here at home weren’t feeling so good themselves (we lost Janis, Jimi and a host of others – I’m feeling Don Mclean’s “American Pie” here)
4. We were living in New York and the economy wasn’t doing too well, I remember those days as “dark days” in the city that never sleeps
5. Women were burning their bras and speaking out for the right to work outside the home, equal pay etc (“I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy)
6. Negros/Blacks (we weren’t quite sure yet ) had made significant gains during the sixties but there was still a lot of ground to cover (“What’s Going On” b y Marvin Gaye)

And I told you all that to say: “Why is every generation conceited enough to believe that the world is going to end on their watch? “

This country has survived a revolution, a civil war,  world wars,  minor skirmishes overseas, minor skirmishes right here at home, our treatment of Native Americans, slavery, the Great Depression, Prohibition,  Brown vs the Board of  Education, Selma, November 22 1963,  April 4th 1968, June 5th 1968, the Watts riots, the Detroit riots, the  Chicago 7, the Manson Family, Watergate, Oklahoma City, 2001… I could, heck I probably should go on  because I  can’t believe the absolute lack of faith that I am seeing all around me.

Let me ask you again, what’s stealing your peace? Is it indecision about what to do next,  fear of what the future holds,  doubts about your ability to safely navigate these treacherous times?

My advice to you

• Listen to the still small voice and  not the voices on the radio, TV, or across the kitchen table.
• Stay away from negative people, negative conversation, and negative thoughts.
• If you have to stop watching the news for a while, do it, you’ll be shocked at how this improves your outlook.
• Most importantly have faith – after all God didn’t bring you this far to leave you where you are

Remember that your thoughts and words work together to create your reality ; so get your mind right and … Have Peace.