AFTER HEAVY WINTER AND SPRING STORMS, fallen trees block trails and sometimes break bridges in my favorite walking areas. By the end of summer, l'm thankful for the professionals and volunteers who have rebuilt them. Their work calls to mind the description of true religion given in the book of lsaiah: "Thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in" (58:12).
We each have many opportunities to be restorers of wholeness, which is one definition of peace. In fact, you could say that our reason for existing each day is to make God, the divine Whole, apparent through practical demonstrations of peace—including patience, self restraint, forgiveness, love, and healing.
Example: another car and mine had a close encounter recently. As we both braked and came to a stop, the other driver brought his hands together and bowed to me. It's a gesture that often accompanies the beautiful Hindi greeting Namaste, one meaning of which is, "I bow to the Spirit in you, which is also in me."
