Have you ever been so affected by someone's words that they vibrate and ring in your ears as absolute truth? It doesn't happen to me very often, but when it does, I consider it a real gift.


My sister is a wonderful person who sees things simply as black and white; there are no gray tones in her perception. I love and respect that about her because she can make a decision like no one I know. One day we were talking about something that had great emotional baggage, but actually was not all that important and she said, "Geez, Diana, it ain't world peace ... get over it!"

"It ain't world peace." What does that mean, exactly? I had to digest the comment for quite some time until the meaning struck me.

There are many things in my existence that I allow to irritate or upset me. The constantly barking dog behind our house. The untruthful things that are said about me behind my back. The evening news. Dishonesty. The silly spats with my husband. The aphids and snails that are eating my garden. Office politics. The list could go on ...

But an amazing thing happens when I examine these irritations in the light of "it ain't world peace." The energy of the annoyance actually dissipates when I place it in this context. I don't deny that these things are happening, but they become much less important. I am learning that quieting the barking dog or halting office politics is not like sitting at the World Peace Talks. The whole world does not teeter on the outcome of "fixing" any of these irritating situations. It is therefore much easier to "get over them" because I want to focus my energy on constructive emotions and actions that can result in positive contributions.

I know it's difficult to appreciate all of these annoyances, but there is a very good reason for their existence in our life -- to teach us Unconditional Love. I believe this is the only reason we're alive on this planet today. When we learn to love and be loved without any excuses or maneuvering, our life will be filled with peace.

So I challenge you. Next time you find yourself becoming irritated or angry, put a smile on your face, love in your heart, and follow my wise sister's lead by stating,

"It ain't world peace ...
get over it!"

 Diana