Sometimes other cultures have so much better a definition for words that frankly, we take for granted in English.
In Japanese, anjinryuumei means "the peace of keeping an unperturbed mind through faith." What a wonderful word. I focus on the part that says "unperturbed mind through faith." My mind is many times perturbed.
In Timor there is the word "simu malu." This means bringing about peace through mutual understanding. How simple yet so true. If I truly understand another, peace is so much simpler.
What is best is that there is a great Norwegian word "Fred" that also means peace. That's fantastic. "May the Fred be with you." How great is that?
In Swahili there is "amani." Which has so many different translations, but the one that I like the best is the "Peace of God which cannot be understood."
What is great about the many words of "Peace" is that for some languages, they are the most simple of constructions. Which probably means that they are some of the oldest words in that particular language. (Yes I realize that does not apply to some).
Even in Latin the word for peace is "pax" which can be traced to the very beginning of that language.
This leads me to believe that we as humans have needed a word for peace since our very beginning. At some point "peace be with you" really meant that at that moment, though we were enemies, we would suspend hostilities long enough to talk. A parlay.
I think I will call my particular brand of peace "Goofy Peace." The peace that comes from shared groans after hearing a particularly bad pun.
Have peace in your day. Even Goofy Peace.
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