Wednesday 3 November 2010

Dona Nobis Pacem 2010 - Be the Change.






2010 has been a year of upheaval, natural and manmade, for many including my own family, but deep within all that struggle and stress has lain an unexpected buried treasure - the gift of disbelief.
Faith may move mountains, but refusing to believe in limitations is what moves people.
In August this year 33 Chilean miners found themselves trapped deep within the Earth. As the whole world knows from bitter experience all mining disasters end in death and tragedy, but not this time! This time everyone refused to believe they wouldn't succeed. The families of the miners refused to leave ‘Camp Hope’ until every miner had been freed, the government refused to let the men die without trying everything to rescue them… and the world refused to stop hoping for a miracle.
They proved to the world that ordinary people really can do extraordinary things...
when they refuse to believe in inevitable failure.
On the very same day that the Chilean miners were being freed from the bowels of the planet my dad was getting ready to come home after a full month of being in hospital. A full month of having medical experts warn him, and us, that he was going to die… probably soon. He could have given up, we could have started preparing for the worst, but it just didn’t make sense that a healthy active man could fall ill and fade away in a mere month.
We refused to believe this fate was inescapable and that gave us, and dad, the strength to demand a new doctor who refused to believe too. This doctor was willing to try a little longer and experiment a little further. So, like the Chilean families, we set up our ‘camp’ as close to the hospital as possible and we kept on keeping on until dad was sent back home to us.
Sometimes you have to be willing to fight for what you refuse to believe in.

I do understand that all stories don’t end in miracles, but why shouldn’t we refuse to believe that all of them have to end in tragedy? My first Peace Globe day (2008), I wrote:
The truth is that as much as we may talk of Peace, pray for Peace or Blog for Peace, we cannever achieve anything unless we start from the simple truth that it has to begin from within. You cannot change the world to change people – people have to change themselves in order to change their world.

This year I realised that it’s is not enough to believe in peace and change -
you have to also refuse to believe in things staying the same.
We have to refuse to believe that we are doomed to continually repeat the mistakes of history – whether that be on a personal, national or global level. Can we refuse to believe in war in order to bring about peace? I don’t see why not. Gandhi refused to believe that violence would bring freedom and he certainly managed to change the world. ;-)
I saw the most gorgeous headline on the internet recently. It was on NASA’s news website: "Transcending Distance to Make a Difference." That’s what this day is about for me, what Mimi’s marvellous idea has become - all of us transcending distance to make a difference, because we refuse to believe that we are too small, insignificant or ordinary to make a difference.
It’s not just what you believe in that matters - what you don’t believe in matters even more!

I don’t believe in failing,
I don’t believe in giving up,
I don’t believe this world is doomed...
how about you?
...

35 comments:

  1. I BEElieve that the peace that lies within - the peace that *is* me - is what will nurture the peace in my life, in my community, in my world.

    No failing. No giving up. No doom. Rather … peace.

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  2. "you have to also refuse to believe in things staying the same"

    Well said. A beautiful post and wonderfully written!
    Love the peace globe too :)

    Peace!

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  3. Peace and light my friend from us in the wee tin can , only together can we make things happen and hopefully one day the world will find peace x

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  4. Love it!

    I'm on a very similar wavelength as you are fellow BEE!

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  5. Beautiful post and I love that you couldn't wait to put it up. I've been resisting the urge all day. You need to put "Dona Nobis Pacem" in the title so that the Google worm will pick it up in its travels around the net.

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  6. Thanks Michelle, I needed that after spending hours reading about the US mid-term election results.

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  7. how true. let the change begin with ME.

    love your peace globe. thanks for the visit.

    Peace!

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  8. Walk in the Woods
    Very true.

    PS... My brain's been singing "I BEElieve I can fly" all afternoon. ;-)

    Dawn
    Thank you. :-) and Peaceblessings to you too.


    Hi Andy
    Peace in a (tin) can, eh? ;-)

    Love to you and Mel xx

    Hi Ann
    oooh, I'm looking forward to reading your post. :-D


    Jamie
    thank you! I forgot the "Dona Nobis Pacem" bit. I've corrrected that. ;-)


    Hi Twilight
    You're most welcome. :-)

    ipanema
    I love your blog... and am awed at your life. Thanks for visiting me back. :-)

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  9. Thank you for a thought provoking and inspiring post!

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  10. Michelle, this is my first peace globe visit this year, and I'm glad it was yours! Beautifully done! I just LOVED the whole "Be/Bee the Change" contribution this year! Great job!!!

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  11. You did a wonderful job with this Michelle! Loved it! :-)

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  12. I LOVE your Peace Globe! And I love your sentiment - it's true that refusal to believe in a negative outcome is just as vital as reaching for a positive one.

    Peace to you, Michelle, from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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  13. How about me?

    Well, I don’t believe in failing or giving up or that the world is doomed either.

    I enjoyed this post, and you've done another great Globe and video. Dona Nobis Pacem!

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  14. Beeautiful message. I'm so happy that you had a miracle with your Dad. Peace Bee with you...

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  15. So true! Much peace to you! :)

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  16. Wonderful Globe

    Peace for all this day

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  17. beautifully said, Michelle - thank you!

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  18. Found you from the Dona Nobis Pacem. I love your site. I’m going to poke around a little bit, but don’t worry I’ll put everything back where I found it!!

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  19. As you rightly put it the HOPE & CHANGE has to begin from within. M K Gandhi said 'You must be the change you wish to see in the world'

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  20. Great Peace Post and Globe!

    Peace to you and yours. :)

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  21. Jacqui

    Thank you back, for such a kind reply. :-)

    Hi Ferd
    That got me smiling a HUGE grin here. :-D Thank you!

    Hi Daisy
    Glad you enjoyed it. :-)

    Julia

    Thank you and best Peace blessings back from the "old Scotia". ;-)

    Travis
    Thank you, brother Peace Bee. :-D

    Hi Raven
    Thank you and Peace Bee Blessings back!

    How nice seeing you again. Another plus of this day is that I get reminded of bloggers, like you, that I've forgotten to visit in ages. I hopoe you're keeping well. I LOVED your reiki Peace globe. :-)

    Jessica
    Peace wishes back to you too. :-)

    Vinny
    Thank you. :-)

    Hi Hayden
    :-) :-)

    Kate
    LOL

    I hope you pass through whenever you can. :-)

    Hi Vasant
    Gandhi certainly said it just right, didn't he?

    Akelamalu
    Thank you. :-)

    Bluezy
    Thank you! :-D

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  22. what a lovely post! could i include this for my blog, A Peace Train? Its a blog dedicated to linking up blogs that talk about peace. Check it out and let me know.

    http://a-peace-train.blogspot.com/

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  23. Hi Whole lotta Love

    Thank you. :-)I'd be honoured to be added to your Peace Train blog.

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  24. and I believed every single word you say. :)
    Peace from me to yours....:)

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  25. This was an excellent post Michelle. I also believe that not giving up is essential. Thanks so much for visiting mine. Hope you have a great weekend.

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  26. Hi Carver
    Thank you. Hope you have a great weekend too... and extra wishes for the coming Festive Season, since I get back to other blogs so rarely lately!

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  27. How can I not believe that ANYthing is possible when I see all this positive energy around us? It is addictive.
    You have outdone yourself again this year with the incredible video and globes you made.

    I DO feel light and hope when I visit you here. I am so honored to call you not just my "internet friend" but my friend.

    Thank you for inspiring us once again.

    Love to you,
    Mimi

    I am so thrilled that your dad is doing well. I know what a rough time it was for you. Take time with yourself to get over it. Give him a hug for me, please.

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  28. Mimi

    Thank you so much, but I have to point out that you started this ball (umm... marble? ;-) ) rolling!

    We all just took it and help keep it rolling... and growing!

    I'll pass on the hug and send you one back from me. Bless you, my friend. X

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  29. I returned for a quick visit, and realised I hadn't left a hello here! :-S

    So, buzzing friend, wishing you and yours peace, harmony and happiness x

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  30. Thanks Annelisa
    The work you've done on the Peace links is wonderful. You've been a BUSY buzzy Bee. ;-)

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  31. Buzzy bees are only as good as their queen and their fellow bees, Michelle :-D

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  32. Beautiful post! This had an amazing power to inspire me. Cheers!

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