create peace

I saw a bumper sticker today that read "create peace."
this struck me particularly firmly, right in the head.
the car was an older four wheel drive, maybe an international or something similar, blue and white, pretty beat up. there were a few other bumper stickers on the back (probably "free tibet" and others of the same ilk), and a bunch of stuff inside, visible through the rear windows. the driver had a cap on his head and a few days' growth on his chin and lower cheeks, and he looked eager to be participating in the world today.
I felt better just from looking at him.
not that I wasn't feeling great: the sight of this fully engaged person just boosted my spirits.
and then I thought about the bumper sticker that had caught my eye.
create peace.
not just, be peaceful.
create peace. go out there and make it happen.

thus, I have a focus today, and am sharing my list of thoughts about how I can work on creating peace in my own way in my own space:

be pleasant even when thwarted.
step into an argument and teach how to see each others' sides.
understand.
offer a shoulder to someone who seems tense.
smile at absolutely everyone, and work at making my eyes participate in said smile.
say yes more than I say no.
invite people over.
accept what is.
give what's needed.
let others be right.
offer help.
expect peace.
have chocolate cake for breakfast. oops, wrong list!

this man's bumper sticker made me want to do something big, to hold a peace summit, to offer my services to president-elect Obama's team. but as with anything, it all really begins at home and in small spaces. thus my rather simplistic list. which is only missing one thing:

create inner peace first, by riding my bike.
I'm off; see you at the summit.