Peace is not something you wish for; it’s something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away. John Lennon
During the Second Sunday of Advent we light the Peace candle. When thinking of Peace, we tend to think of tranquility and calm which is quite the opposite of what we are experiencing currently. Instead we are in a rush to find the perfect Christmas gifts for each person on our lists. Perhaps we need to take a break and re-evaluate what Peace stands for and how we can implement it in our everyday lives.
Sometimes during the busy holiday season, we need to stop for a moment and prioritize what matters most; especially when it comes to peace. This is where I tend to think about all the positive that our military does for us this time of the year that exemplifies peace. For instance, you have Toys for Tots and Wreaths Across America; two of our favorite charities.
Toys for Tots has been around for over 70 years. It started as something small to bring peace and joy to children and has expanded into a foundation that we know today. We look for the signs at our place of work, shops and at Christmas events we attend to see if they participate in Toys for Tots so we can donate toys and bring a smile to a child’s face Christmas morning. There is no better feeling than making Christmas special for a child!
Wreaths Across America is another wonderful way to spread peace. They encourage you to Remember fallen Veterans, Honor those who have served, and to Teach children about freedom. There will be 1,600 ceremonies happening December 14th across the nation. Whether you’d like to volunteer or purchase a wreath, you are taking time to discover the importance of peace and our veterans who have strived for it.
As you can see the second candle of Advent is quite versatile. It represents Peace which covers so much in our day to day lives. As you can see we need to keep Peace with us not just to the end of Advent, but for the entire year.