Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward All

Peace on Earth and Goodwill Toward All
“Breathe – Love will enter; Peace will follow.” – Bryan Post

The reason I decided to work for Post Institute (other than our four adopted and 27 foster kids driving us crazy), was the realization that Bryan Post offers real life solutions not only as great parenting solutions, but solutions for the world’s problems: real, unconditional, spiritual, realistic, honest to goodness yet very difficult to achieve – love!

The thing is, just between you and me, love as we commonly refer to it day to day doesn’t really happen much in our world. Oh, it exists mostly as a symbol and a concept and idea/ideal, but in that it is mere information (I love you – I love you too, luv ya, etc.) and not the actual experience. There is a world in-between.

Bryan Post says, “We don’t have all the answers, just one – love.” This is not merely a philosophy, a strategy or another great idea. It is THE way.  If you understand this, then peace is not far behind. When is the last time you looked at your child, spouse, family member or friend, with eyes moist, not really knowing how to put feelings into words, said “I love you” — not as mere information (“love ya”), but, “I would do anything for you and I am so very sorry for all the times I hurt you”? If you haven’t had this experience of love recently, try harder, softer, bigger, smaller, gentler, slower, with great intent or something else but keep trying.

This is not something to believe in, but to experience, to feel, to know without a doubt that love is the way. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replied, “love God with your whole heart, mind and soul. And the 2nd greatest is like this, love your neighbor as yourself.” The list of who not to love was not included – those whose life styles we judge, those of skin different from ours, different sexual orientations, those whose religion is different than ours etc. What’s he trying to say here? Seems simple (not easy mind you) and obvious – love. And the whole heart, mind and soul thing – lets think about that a bit… it is more than “love ya/love ya too”.

Our kids deserve our whole heart, mind and soul. As do our spouses – and ourselves.

We cannot have Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All with fear in our hearts and minds. As we experience the holidays, let us do so with a sense of wonder, excitement, and curiosity, bringing forth

the greatest gift of all time, love. Let’s transcend the notion that God and Santa reward only the good boys and girls. Bryan Post says, “see the fear, not the anger”. Pat O’Brien, founder of You

Gotta Believe, the successful older teen adoption agency says, “kids would rather be mad than sad”. With this understanding in mind, just where are all the “bad” kids?

The saints and masters who have walked this planet are those who have discovered the secret of this world. In short, they have chosen love. In every instance. In every moment. In every circumstance. Even as they were being tormented, Persecuted or even murdered. As they were being tormented persecuted or murdered, they loved their oppressors. It really doesn’t matter what their religion, philosophy or tradition was. Or what your religion, philosophy or tradition is.

Let us this year, this decade, this lifetime, and this moment give the gift of seeing the fear and the sadness instead of the behaviors in our kid and just plain ‘ole love’em (no matter what). We might not get Peace on Earth, but maybe Peace in Family. And that may be just where Peace on Earth begins, in our very own hearts and families. The future of the world is in our hands – handle with care, and with love.

Have a most blessed and loving holiday and new year, and of course, choose love.

When our kids are the most unloveable is when they are needing love the most. And not just the words “I love you,” but the experience of love…what that looks like…how that sounds…love in action, rather than in merely words.” – Sherri Boles-Rogers