Relfections on peace

by Virginia Pohl

As a passionate gardener, there are times throughout the winter and early spring when my desire for green becomes so desperate I practically lose my mind.

Spathiphyllum (spath-i-fie-lum), more commonly called the peace lily, is a tropical houseplant favored for its foliage and flowers. It provides me with the best of both worlds during winter in a limited indoor growing space. Native to Central and South America and Southeast Asia, the 36 species of spathiphyllum have rendered a few specimens suitable for hybrid development, the most popular being S. 'Mauna Loa'. The white blossoms, up to six inches long and four inches across, unfurl atop green stems, and when given a good close sniff, smell somewhat like peppermint.

White powdery pollen dusts the large, intensely green leaves like icing sugar on a St. Patrick's Day cake. In that respect the plants are messy, requiring a cleaning now and then. Otherwise, the peace lily is a carefree, easy to maintain plant that will thrive in indirect light, with some direct sunshine in winter, and temperatures above 15&Mac176; C. Some humidity is beneficial and the roots enjoy constant moisture, except in winter when less frequent watering is required. Without 'ideal' conditions though, spathiphyllums will survive and continue to put on a show.

Despite the ease and the green, there've been times, in moments of spring madness, when I've been tempted to dump my peace lily on top of the frozen compost heap. I might have done it if I thought I could maneuver the heavy pot out the door and down the trail to the bin.

But one afternoon last spring, while contemplating such an act, the sun broke over the clouds and shone through the glass, lighting the magnificent leaves from behind. It was magical. I truly began to see and appreciate my peace lily. I spent the next few hours with my camera, trying until my eyes hurt to capture the radiance and hue of the brilliant leaves. It was then that I truly began to appreciate my peace lily. And, I began to think more about peace in general.

Especially since the disaster of September 11, my personal idea of peace has broadened and gained significance. I spend more time questioning the meaning of peace on a personal level although today, the idea of peace might be considered idealistic. More and easier access to news broadcasts makes the sweeping lack of peace impossible to ignore, with journalists are literally dying to bring us the news.

Greed, fear and lack of humility cause discontent on an extraordinary scale, making true peace seem like a pipe dream. As a nation, Canada enjoys what most people refer to as peace (lack of war) and most of us feel ourselves extremely fortunate to live in such a country. For me, however, peace is about far more than lack of war. Peace is a rich philosophy that includes democracy, responsibility, respect, freedom, safety, and expression. Here in BC, however, peace is waning. All one has to do is read the news to see that the actions made by the Liberal government are having a profoundly negative effect. People are gathering together to protest the way in which Gordon Campbell is carrying out his agenda. And he does indeed have an agenda, though it doesn’t yet seem to include democracy, responsibility, or respect: key components of peace as a philosophy.

Whether we are aware of it or not we each develop and carry our own personal agenda. The plan itself is usually not the problem. The problem arises when we blindly charge ahead, hair straight back, not fully aware of the trip. Only keeping our eyes on the prize. Gordon Campbell’s agenda in the end may not be wrong, just as our own personal plan may be well worth the effort. What each of us must consider, every second in every day, is this: how can we carry out our plan without causing harm to ourselves or others? How do our expectations of others affect our own inner peace? Where do we draw the line to create balance in our lives?

Peace must start within each of us in order for it to come to fruition on a larger scale. Although it may sound hokey, it’s the truth. If we are not aware of our own actions, our own thoughts, our intentions, from one second to the next, how can we expect peace, either within or without?

Many of us have experienced racism, sexism, homophobia, or prejudice based on body shape. There is prejudice against mental illness, disability, religious practice (or lack thereof), profession, and income, to name a few. How about prejudice toward addicts, persons with HIV, AIDS, or Hepatitis C? What about our political leanings, the brand of clothing or shoes we wear, or the car we drive? The list could go on.

We so often go through life oblivious to the fact that as human beings we share more commonalities than we do differences. But because we are hell bent on our agenda, we disregard the hurt we inflict by projecting our bias on others. Worse still, we are not even aware of the damage, usually until it’s too late, and sometimes never. One person's agenda is never more important than another's, yet without constant attention and awareness, this is how we behave.

Compassion, consideration and healthy personal boundaries are a rare commodity in an unbalanced world. Awareness creates inner peace and inner peace creates more peace, and the whole thing snowballs. Spring is here, but the snowball affect can continue throughout the year.

The peace lily is a constant reminder to me to refresh my awareness of thoughts and deeds while seeking balance in my life. Each now shoot, every fresh flower, signal a new beginning and an opportunity to cultivate peace from within.

(Virginia Pohl lives, knits, gardens and writes, off the grid, in her home along the Telkwa River.)

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