DAY 121 - A Look in My Mirror and Out to the Horizon

Prior to turning 50, I cared about others, cared about the world, but had no plan, and felt little responsibility. I didn’t realize the harm and dangers that were, and are upon us. While considering myself part of the solution to man’s problems, I never really thought of myself as a co-creator of our salvation (not in a religious sense).

Since 50, things have changed; I now consider myself a co-creator of our future; not a hot shot, just a co-creator. Turns out, we are all co-creators; of some future; whether we act, or not.

In 2003, as a part of my efforts for our present and our future, I joined the executive board of Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions (CPR), of Ventura, California. CPR is an inclusive, diverse group of individuals, committed to non-violence, and recognizing the interconnectedness of all life on our planet. Our mission is to discover, live and communicate what is needed to build a just, sustainable and peaceful global society. Each month we hold public meetings dealing with the critical issues of our times: war, nuclear weapons, homelessness, poverty, global warming, campaign finance reform, and much more.

I don’t know what lies ahead on the horizon for humanity, or for our world, but I am comforted to have seen myself more clearly, and to have seen a reflection of myself, as a small and responsive part of our world.

DAY 46 – “The End of War” by Captain Paul K. Chappell

The powerful quote, “we become what we see” has been attributed to both the Chinese, and to William Blake. Regardless of its origin, it is ripe with insight that can free us to create peace on earth.

Humans have existed only in a world of war. To what degree have we become, have we come to believe in, the wars that we continually see?

Powerful quote, though it may be, “we become what we see” is a generalization only, and not true for all. It refers to the alchemy which transforms and secures most of us as carbon copies of the past. It does not address the less common “seeing” of imagination, without which, mankind’s primary shelter would still be a cave.

Iraq War veteran, Captain Paul K. Chappell “sees” with clarity the world in which we war; but is neither seduced nor blinded by that reality. His vision, his imagination of our future without war is what he has become. Our warring past and present, he knows, and understands, but sees beyond, to our potential for peace.

As Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, has said, "Captain Paul K. Chappell has given us a crucial look at war and peace from the unique perspective of a soldier, and his new ideas show us why world peace is both necessary and possible in the 21st century. The End of War [Chappell’s new book] can help people everywhere understand why war must end, and how together we can end it."

Whether you believe we can, or believe we can’t, come join Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions (CPR) as Captain Chappell tells us why and how to end war.

WHAT: Annual CPR Season of Peace meeting: Author Paul Chappell discusses his ideas for shaping a peace movement, based on his books "Will War Ever End? A Soldier's Vision of Peace for the 21st Century" and "The End of War: How Waging Peace Can Save Humanity."

WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 5 at 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Foster Library’s Topping Room, 651 E. Main St., Ventura, CA 93001 USA

BACKGROUND: Paul Chappell is the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation's Peace Leadership Director. He is a 2002 graduate of West Point and an Iraq War veteran. Learn more at http://www.paulkchappell.com

DAY 3 – The Earth Charter

About age 50 my awareness of, and my attention to the world around me began to increase. I found myself thinking more about human suffering, world peace, and global ecology. These changes have led me to spend more time in the last 10 years working for the common good than I did in the previous 49 years combined.

In 2002 I became a member of Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions (CPR - http://c-p-r.net), a Ventura, California-based non-profit, and nine months later joined its executive board. Each October we, CPR, host a celebration and award ceremony based on The Earth Charter (http://earthcharterus.org).

The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental ethical principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It seeks to inspire in all people a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the whole human family, the greater community of life, and future generations. It is a vision of hope and a call to action. The Earth Charter is a product of a decade-long, worldwide, cross cultural dialogue on common goals and shared values.

The Earth Charter is a framework that helps me more fully appreciate that we are all members of one big human family on this earth, and reminds me that we will all sink or swim together.

If you live in the Ventura area, please consider joining us this Saturday the 9th of October from 3-5 PM at the Ventura College cafeteria as we consciously celebrate and work toward a peaceful global society, and honor activists in our community who work in support of the values of The Earth Charter. For additional information: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156127717741541&index=1