Slightly more than ten years ago, I dared to add a comma to my name followed by the word Peacemaker. Over the years there have been others, as I identified my gifts. Priestess became part of my identity in the 90s, as I began a communal liturgical ministry creating “Ceremonies Celebrating Your Life.” Poet was added when I realized that I had been writing poetry for the public daily for a few years — beginning to understand that Poetry is my way of sharing not only what I’m thinking, but how – and what – I’m doing about that thinking!
I formally claimed myself as Taroist when I wrote my Peacemaker’s Tarot for the 21st Century in the early 2020s, although by then I had been reading Tarot and developing my own style for over forty years. All of these were acts of daring. In a world where I had worked hard to understand myself as a creator rather than support staff — an occupation/understanding at which I only have tentative claims at best. Just because I’m talented at understanding the nuances of what you’re doing, that doesn’t necessarily mean my talents lean toward accomplishing the details of your splendid notions. I had been raised to think of myself as a helpmeet, to be perfectly biblical about it. To continue the Chrisitian analogies, I am definitely more Mary than Martha.
After college, I used to joke that I had been well-trained and well-educated to be a diplomat’s wife — except for my well-developed sense of Justice and my appalling tendency to speak my mind, particularly after imbibing anything alcoholic. I mean, really imagine: “I’m sorry, Madame Vice President, I’m not certain I understand how you could imagine any way that policy would benefit hungry, unhomed children,” and at the same time, “I can’t for the life of me understand why you entertained the notion that that puce monstrosity you’re wearing might be flattering. Fascinating broach, however. Are those diamonds certed?” We are all relieved that I have long ago stopped tippling. Aside from the fact that being cruelly witty is nasty and hurtful, I had to acknowledge that it was also allowing me to not be responsible for my gifts — which are Peace-centered in nature.
In 2012, I started a daily musing as I call them, that celebrates what is and where we are, and, thus, the ways these things are Peaceful and Peacemaking. People wonder whether it’s really that easy. Do I mean that focusing on Peaceful Possibilities and Activities and inviting you all to do the same is Peacemaking? Why, yes, I do. I am not a strategist — which for a long time I thought exempted me from Peacemaking as my life’s work.
Among the many gifts that are mine to develop, one of the most important ones is presence. I notice and I write and speak about what I encounter and the ways those encounters, whether with Nature or with individuals create Possibilities for Joy, Delight, Awareness. My work is to continue to invite you into your best gifts, the ones that enable you to write Your Name, Peacemaker.
Is it conceited to talk about gifts? No, It’s honest and absolutely necessary. We all have gifts, innate abilities that are our responsibility to care for, to develop, and to put to work in the world for the world’s betterment. Along the way, we’ll be happy as we work with our gifts rather than against them — as we work toward a communal coexistence on a healthy planet rather than against it. We’ll make life long relationships that support and sustain us and encourage us to keep working at becoming more truly ourselves, and more truly Peacemakers. And if there’s something you’re doing that encourages you to speak in ways that are not aligned with your best self — life will actually improve, if you let that thing go. You are beautiful. You are worthy and meant for great things. You are a Peacemaker. If you can find your way to that shore, your life will be different and you will be making a difference. And you’ll be having more fun.
So, come on, Peacemakers. If ever we were needed, it is now. It is now that we go to work, not against anything, but for something — creating the world in which we want to live. It’s so much fun. Invite your friends. Let’s make a movement that doesn’t leave room for hatred and power over. We are you and me and our friends, exactly the people to do this work. All of us. With all our different skills finding new ways of Peacemaking. I’m so grateful to be here with you.
Salaam, Shalom, Peace, and Blessed Be!