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Attaining
Peace...
Alcanzar la Paz
by
Rick Munoz
When I was 4 years old, my grandfather died. I
was very sad because although I did not
understand death, I knew it meant I would not
see him anymore. At the funeral, everyone was
crying and I missed him already. That was when
the preacher said that we should not worry
about him because "por fin el a alcanzado
la paz" which means (in Spanish) that he
has finally reached peace.
As I listened to him I began to think that
peace was really important if grandfather had
to go away to attain it. So I asked my mom
what it meant "to have peace". She
told me that it meant grandfather was with
people that respected and loved him, and that
he would not get into arguments or fights,
because he was in a special place.
Ever since, I have always wondered if my
family and I would ever live in such a place,
where there was compromise and, in turn, respect
for one another. I also began to wonder why
our world couldn't be like that. But as I have
grown older and look back on that moment over
a decade ago, I began to doubt if we can ever
live in a world like that here on earth. The
more I know about the world, the more
impossible that dream of peace sounds.
With all of the fighting of wars that goes
on, the violence, the racial attacks, and
probably worst of all, the struggle within our
own communities, the vision of peace in this
world seems unattainable. But, if we, as a
people, can learn to respect each other's
differences, and learn to find common ground
from which we can come together, we can reach
that dream and make it a reality.
We first must realize that this cannot and
will not happen overnight. It will take work
by each and every individual, because peace is
not only a "global" issue. What does
it matter if our countries are at war or not,
if we cannot live with respect towards one
another in our own community?
Peace is an issue that must be the cause of
every individual. We must help each other to
understand each other's differences. For this
is where peace must start -- within ourselves
-- so
that we can deal with conflict with an open
mind. We can start taking those slow steps to
peace, first as individuals, and then as a
people of earth.
If peace is ever
attained, we must learn to
live as "a" people -- one world working together
to make it a better place to live. If only
people would not look at each other as a race,
or a color, or a certain nationality, and look
at whether that person is good or bad. If only
we could all learn from past mistakes.
Millions of people were killed just because
they were black, or Jewish, or not from their
country. That is why respecting each other and
our differences is so important.
Everyone has a little good in them, but
unfortunately they also have a little
prejudice in them. But we must all look past
this if peace is ever to be achieved. When we
see a person that is different or may look
weird, keep in mind that to them you look
different too. We must not only have respect
for people and their differences, but give
thanks that we are all different and, who
knows, we may even learn something.
Well, I hope I got my message across
because I am nearly done. One more thing, when
you think about what I
have said, ask yourselves if you can really
be a little nicer to someone and think of
someone as equal to you. Try it and you will
see the benefits of respecting one another.
But don't do it because you read it in an
essay contest where some kid put the idea into
your head with a memory of his grandfather. Do
it because you want to make the world a better
place to live in, and you will find yourself
standing on a stepping stone to peace. With
the dream of that special place within your
reach, and a new friend by your side, then
maybe we can all "alcanzar la paz" while we are
still on this earth.
About The
Author
Erick Munoz wrote
the above when he was in the 9th grade and
attending John F. Kennedy Middle School, in
Miami, FIorida, as part of an essay contest.
Reprinted with permission from "Young Voices, Essays On Peace"
?1992, published by The Grace Contrino Abrams Peace Education
Foundation, Inc., 2627 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, Florida 33137. All rights
reserved.
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