Wait for Peace

Can craving and peace co-exist in a human heart? I haven’t decided yet, but I know I crave peace more and more during these times of worldwide chaos, conflict, and continuing environmental and human rights abuse.

In this Bhutan “forest” of towering prayer flags clustered like textured, billowing pillars in a glacial valley, centuries of peace and strength through wisdom envelope this young man. I long to walk in his wake, to feel the fabric brush against my skin, to wander in the woody spaces between the pillars and breathe in the scent of earthen soil that perfumes the gentle breeze.

What I am seeking will not arrive by grasping…and yet my craving boils, my desire bubbling just below the surface. I know I have to wait for peace. I know that my work in the world as a humanitarian photographer cannot be realized with a turbulent heart. And so I tell myself, “Be a walker among these flags of compassion. When peace finds you, you will be ready.”