FINDING PEACE THROUGH FAMILY

It is no accident that we celebrate the International Day of Families, and that one day later, we celebrate the International Day of Living Together in Peace.

In my mind, that is pure poetry — the universe smiling down and reminding us that we can’t have one without the other. Families and peace.

And both are precisely what the world needs right now. There is nothing more powerful (and beautiful) than loving families spreading joy in a time when the world is filled with such despair. Happy and united families create peaceful communities, which create the strength and hope we need to endure these times. It’s that simple.

Of course, families are more than the people with whom we share a home — parents and children, or aunts and uncles. Family is any group of individuals who are united by a common connection. And there is no bigger connection than the Earth. And no greater family than the human race.

The world has never experienced a phenomenon of such epic and global proportions as what we are facing today. Coronavirus is a word that now lives in the minds of all citizens of the planet, regardless of nationality, faith, ideology, or economic standing. We are all facing the same uncertain future. We are all talking about our shared experiences, fears, and hopes. What will tomorrow look like?