190/175 July 9,2017 Rice Krispie treats

It’s easy to grateful when Ithings are good, but even then we have a natural tendency to focus on the negative. But there are moments that are so difficult that it’s hard to remember that the sky is beautiful. But the sky can be beautiful wherever you are. 189/176 July 8, 2017 ink injected into scrap wood

Peace isn’t something to achieve once and move on. It is a daily–sometimes hourly– struggle. Some days it seems easy to let go of the accumulated anger and resentment of a well lived life. Sometimes it takes an unimaginable effort just to go about the bussiness of living.  You get cut off in traffic, you hate your boss, you feel trapped and isolated and alone.  The path to peace is filled with opportunities disguised as obstacles.  Do you notice or are you too busy jumping from manufactured crisis to manufacturered crisis to even pay attention to all the path has to offer?  188/177 July 7,2017  I dragged some logs around at the nature conservatory in Bennington, VT

peace is hard. Every day. Peace requires constant vigilance. It’s  a Sisyphean task, push the rock up the hill, watch it roll down and  then do it all over again.  187/178 July 6, 2017 skittles

Does it ever seem like you’re not making progress? Like no matter how hard you try, it’s not enough? A house divided cannot stand and a peace divided is sure to fail. 186/179 July 5, 2017 soft pastels

The end is the beginning and the beginning is the end. or there’s no end. And no beginning just a loop and boundless possibility.   185/180 July 4, 2017 ink on paper

It’s hard to trust. It’s hard to let go of past hurt and suffering. When we’ve been wronged it can be hard to forgive. How do you know if someone’s remorse is sincere? How do you know if offers of peace are legitimate?  184/181 July 3, 2017 peace cut into lemon meringue pie.

We sabotage ourselves. We agree to rules we know we won’t follow. We make the terms of surrender impossible, ensuring that peace willl crumble. We put traps and obstacles in our own way.  What if we didn’t poison our own potential for peace with insecurity and mistrust? What if we honestly and willingly surrendered? Suffering is holding on and happiness is letting go. 183/182 July 2, 2017 sparkling skull stickers on paper

How do you see the world? What’s your point of view? What’s your frame of reference?

We have made it halfway through the year! 182/183 July 1, 2017 markers

Peace is hard. It’s preceded by horror, wanton violence death  and destruction. When the conditions are so bad that surrender seems seems more appealing than suffering and mercy seems better than misery peace can take hold. But there are always sacrifices. Always. 181/184 June 30, 2018 red dragon ink on chiseled barn board.