Culture of Peace

Culture of peace reflections

Sheet 3 September 2003 One peace at a time
These passages challenge us to recognise that our individual actions
and responses are vital.

‘Tell me the weight of a snowflake,’ a coal-mouse asked a wild dove.
‘Nothing more than nothing.’ was the answer.
‘In that case I must tell you a marvellous story,’ the coal-mouse said. ‘I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk,when it began to snow, not heavily, not a giant blizzard, no, just like in a dream, without any violence. Since I didn't have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,741,952. When the next snowflake dropped onto the branch - nothing more than nothing, as you say - the branch broke off.’
Having said that, the coal-mouse flew away.
The dove, since Noah’s time an authority on the matter, thought about the story for a while and finally said to herself: ‘Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come about in the world.’
New Fables Thus Spoke 'The Carabou' by Kurt Kauter

What you do may seem insignificant but it is important that you do it.
Gandhi

Certainly it is true that behind every human being who cries out for help there may be a million more equally entitled to attention. But this is the poorest reason for not helping the person whose cries you hear ... How to determine which one of the million sounds surrounding you is more deserving than the rest? ... You will never know. Reach out and take hold of the one that happens to be nearest. If you are never able to help or save another, at least you will have saved one. To help to put meaning into a single life may not produce universal regeneration, but it happens to represent the basic form of energy in a society. It is also a test of individual responsibility.
Norman Cousins
Human Options

I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Any persons whom you have ever met, even if you have just exchanged a glance on a bus, have become part of your being, and consequently you are in some sense ultimately responsible for them. You carry them in your heart.
Swami Venkatesananda

Published by: Northern Friends Peace Board
Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street, Bolton BL1 2AS
0845 458 3095     nfpb@gn.apc.org
www.gn.apc.org/nfpb

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‘Tell me the weight of a snowflake,’ a coal-mouse asked a wild dove. ‘Nothing more than nothing.’ was the answer. ‘In that case I must tell you a marvellous story,’ the coal-mouse said. ‘I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk,when it began to snow, not heavily, not a giant blizzard, no, just like in a dream, without any violence. Since I didn't have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,741,952. When the next snowflake dropped onto the branch - nothing more than nothing, as you say - the branch broke off.’ Having said that, the coal-mouse flew away. The dove, since Noah’s time an authority on the matter, thought about the story for a while and finally said to herself: ‘Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come about in the world.’ New Fables Thus Spoke 'The Carabou' by Kurt Kauter What you do may seem insignificant but it is important that you do it. Gandhi Certainly it is true that behind every human being who cries out for help there may be a million more equally entitled to attention. But this is the poorest reason for not helping the person whose cries you hear ... How to determine which one of the million sounds surrounding you is more deserving than the rest? ... You will never know. Reach out and take hold of the one that happens to be nearest. If you are never able to help or save another, at least you will have saved one. To help to put meaning into a single life may not produce universal regeneration, but it happens to represent the basic form of energy in a society. It is also a test of individual responsibility. Norman Cousins Human Options I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it. Dwight D. Eisenhower Any persons whom you have ever met, even if you have just exchanged a glance on a bus, have become part of your being, and consequently you are in some sense ultimately responsible for them. You carry them in your heart. Swami Venkatesananda
Published by: Northern Friends Peace Board Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street, Bolton BL1 2AS 0845 458 3095 nfpb@gn.apc.org www.gn.apc.org/nfpb