Love begins in the heart of man and brings peace to all men. This gentle thought was an answer to my desire to be more God-centered, more Love-centered, as I prayed for world peace.
It was related to a quote I had seen and cherished over the years after reading it on the United Nations building in New York City many years ago: “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed” (Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). This made me realize that war begins and ends in the minds of men. For years this had encouraged me to watch against unintentionally starting or participating in a mental war by agitating for negative or merely human opinions; passing judgment on another’s behavior; condemning a news report; or negatively reacting in any way to another.
I find this compassionate guidance found in Mary Baker Eddy’s book Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896 very helpful: “We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest; that human life is the work, the play, the ceaseless action and reaction upon each other of these different atoms. Then, we should go forth into life with the smallest expectations, but with the largest patience; with a keen relish for and appreciation of everything beautiful, great, and good, but with a temper so genial that the friction of the world shall not wear upon our sensibilities; with an equanimity so settled that no passing breath nor accidental disturbance shall agitate or ruffle it; with a charity broad enough to cover the whole world’s evil, and sweet enough to neutralize what is bitter in it,—determined not to be offended when no wrong is meant, nor even when it is, unless the offense be against God” (p. 224).
