September 21 each year is the International Day of Peace. In case you missed it also, please join me now in a little bit of belated celebration.  This day is organized by the United Nations and has it’s own website here. Besides organizing activities such as a global moment of silence for peace, the organizers suggest that the we also consider this “a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political” and that we take this opportunity to make peace in our own relationships as well. What a marvelous idea. But how is a personal ceasefire going to make a difference?

The day’s organizers suggest that “There is evidence that our collective consciousness does affect the world around us. There are projects that run random event generators distributed around the world. They show that, as humans become more coherent, it appears that matter does too. What we do as a group of individuals affects the whole. Of course, one day of ceasefire is only the beginning. … By showing that 24 hours of non-violence is within our reach, we set an important example. Peace is possible.”

I’m not sure I follow the physics here about matter becoming more coherent, but I am more than willing to accept that individual behavior influences the world. Forgive others?  Show a little more compassion, more empathy?? Can’t hurt. Might help someone else. Will certainly help you. Even if some of us are three or four days late doing it.