Stepping back and walking towards peace

I've been painting on and off all day.  Actually
I've spent one hour marking and one hour painting,
alternating all day.  I used my iCal alarm to let
me know when to switch tasks and locales.  It
sounds pretty dry I know, but I teach time management,
and every now and then I have to apply my own
teaching.

I've also been listening to wonderful talks on TED TV
while I was painting.  What an incredible pleasure.
One of my favorite lectures was by William Ury on
The Walk from No to Yes.  Ury's thoughts on how
to create peace in the world are inspiring and
fascinating to say the least. 

 Late afternoon light Pugwash

watercolour on Arches watercolour paper

16 x 12 inches

© Barbara Muir (date unknown)

Unfortunately I can't show you what I've been
working on. But I wanted to give you an image -- maybe
one you haven't seen.  In this watercolour image
I was trying to catch the magical light at the end of day
on the beach near Pugwash, Nova Scotia, where
we spend as much time as possible each summer.
  I've always been embarrassed by it, because it
doesn't do either the light, or the beach justice. 
But today I think it does capture something --
maybe it captures the feeling of peace, or the idea of
walking for peace.

I painted it at a time when my son, Christopher, was a young
teenager, and some of our happiest moments were spent walking
together.  Ury says that when you walk side by side, a
feeling of peace can develop.  I know that this is true.  I've
told my classes that if they walk beside someone for more
than 20 minutes they'll notice the endorphins kick
in, and the mood transform.  In fact the mood will
elevate considerably most of the time.  Some research
says 30 minutes, but night after night walking with one
of my sons, or with my husband at the time when this was
painted, I'd notice the talk move from complaint to wonder
at about the 20 minute point.

Now let's all try moving towards peace -- at home, and
on the planet.

Have a walking-towards-peace day