“If you’ve got them by the balls their hearts and minds will follow”
-John Wayne-

Mind will tell you about what you should do, heart will tell you what you are going to do. Have you ever heard those words? I am sure you have. If you believe those words, I am sure you are in confusion because you have to make effort to decide what you should follow both in heart and mind. Practically, It is hard for us to reach mind and heart at the same time. The nature of human tends to make choice when they feel it is dominant. Therefore, at that time we should follow heart or mind, and if we find it as wrong choice, we should deal with it. Right?

We can think of storm, stress, chaos, panic, anxiety, overwhelm as a ‘hurricane’ that always happen to human and we tend to think it’s like “narrowness” but if we think deeply it’s like a “chance” to have peace. In life, there will be times when it seems like everything is out of control. Challenges, diversities, and stress will come. Our heart and mind can’t be synchronized with that situation; But just like the “eye of the storm” in the midst of that difficulty, there is a place of peace where you can go. “The peace that passes all understanding” that means you’ll have peace when you should be upset. You’ll have peace when really you should be stressed out.

“Eye of the storm” where it’s very calm and peaceful. All around there is chaos, danger everywhere, even overwhelm; but as long as you’re in the eye of the storm, it’s as calm and peaceful as can be. Our heart and minds tend to choose upset and as a human it’s like bent out of shape every time things don’t go your way. How am I going to bring peace to that situation? It is irrational.

Let us open our mind, peace is not the abscence of trouble. Peace is not getting rid of all of your enemies, overcoming all of your challenges or paying of all of your bills. No, there can be trouble, conflict, and challenges all around you on the outside, but real peace is trusting yourself that you are good enough to not allow it to get on the inside.

I read about this contest where whoever painted the picture that displayed peace in the greatest, most compelling way would win the prize. There were all of these paintings of very beautiful, peaceful sceneries; the sun is setting over an ocean, palm trees is blowing in the wind, so peaceful. There was a pasture scene with this rollong, lush,green hills, a white picket fence and a beautiful lake in the background. One was a winter scene with fresh snow and a small log cabin. You could see the fireplace through the window, the majestic mountains in the background. It looked so warm and cozy. But the painting that won first prize was a picture of huge storm with lightning flashing across the sky, rain coming down and wind blowing the trees. It looked just the opposite of peace. But over in the corner in the cleft of a rock was a bird in her nest tucked away. Underneath her outstretched wings were six of her baby birds. In the midst of this huge storm, they were just sitting there as calm and as peaceful as can be.

Remember, peace is not the abscence of trouble. What am I saying? Don’t wait for all of your problems to resolve and then decide to quit worrying. Find the place of peace and make up your mind that you’re going to have peace right in the midst of the storm.