(first published Dallas Peace Times, July 2008 issue; www.DallasPeaceCenter.org)

Several weeks ago at the Department of Peace Regional Conference, Marianne Williamson gave the keynote speech focusing on nonviolence. After the presentation, she opened the floor for questions. One woman relayed how when she watches news on TV and sees President Bush, she becomes very agitated and angry, and usually has to turn off the program. This is not acceptable to her because she has a need for knowing what is going on in the world. Ms. Williamson suggested to her that she has two choices: 1) turn off the TV, which is basically an avoidance technique, or 2) acknowledge who Pres Bush is and 'love him anyway'. She also used the term "enemy image", and we'll get back to that in a bit.

I can certainly relate to what this woman was describing, because in that same situation, I too, have become very agitated, aggravated and ready to do almost anything to prove him 'wrong'. Now let me ask you, when I am agitated, annoyed, angry, am I at peace? Am I doing my part to bring peace to the world? And is Pres Bush any the wiser that I and perhaps 500 million other people are upset or angry? Of course not! But 'love him anyway'? How the heck does that work; I mean, how can I 'love him anyway'?

Well, first and foremost, he is a human being, just like me. He's doing the best he knows how to do, so, I can recognize that and connect with his humanity. Marshall Rosenberg, creator of Nonviolent Communications (NVC) says that to connect with "those other persons" we need to liberate ourselves from the enemy images we have of them, the thinking that there is something wrong with the other person. He also acknowledges that it is not easy. A few months ago in this column we discussed judgments, and that is how we create this enemy image.

St. Francis of Assisi put it this way: Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

I'm assuming we are all on a path to be made instruments of peace, and as such, we are really asking for the courage to empty ourselves of every state of mind that creates conflict - resentment, anger, jealousy, greed, self-righteousness. Therefore my first priority is to reform myself; how else can I expect other people to do likewise? It is the example of a woman or a man giving all they have to making love a reality that stirs our hearts to follow their example. Do I not need a bumper sticker that says, "You are following an instrument of Peace"? Of course not! So my everyday actions must, and will, speak for themselves - Peace begins with me.