Today's Theme: Hidden Charity

Cultivate peace with love.

Theme for the 12th day of the month:

(Photograph for today's theme by Randall J. Hodges, Randall J. Hodges Photography.)

The events in today’s news will no doubt be a topic of conversation for many. But they will only tell a piece of the human story, and often not the best piece, to be sure. There’s another story to be told, one just as significant as any news we’ll ever hear. It’s a story of human nature at its best—the millions of gestures of love and good will expressed throughout every moment of every day, around the clock, and across the world.

These expressions of love may not be dramatic, sensational or “newsworthy” by current standards. In fact, many of them occur without anyone ever knowing—a silent prayer, an anonymous gift, the removal of garbage from a forest trail, a moment of forgiveness, the silencing of a criticism, an extra effort to lighten the load of another…

These invisible acts of love are not colored by the need for credit or acknowledgment. They’re not part of a bargain, “I’ll love you, if you’ll love me.” They’re not a strategy to “look good” or win favor. On the contrary, they’re genuine expressions of the human heart at its best, quietly and steadily transforming chaos and hardship.

These quiet gifts of hidden charity bring warmth to the rhythm of peace. Today’s theme suggests we pause and remember this story. Why? Because it’s a true story, and because it’s important to have a balance to the other news we hear. And because the collective force of millions of gestures of love is enormous. Awareness of this force awakens our vision, and we can see it working everywhere. We only have to look. May we each participate in this story today. It may be the best news of the day.

Rhythm of Peace:  Cultivating Peace in Daily Life
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Check back tomorrow for a new theme!