I like this saying by Shimon Peres, you can choose:
Either peace and pay the price or war and take the risk.
It’s very smart.
Peace isn’t free…there is a price (maybe a large one) to pay for it.
War is also not free…there is a risk of what you will win or lose.
These are very serious life calculations with consequences that are far reaching.
Peace or war and if you are wrong what will it cost and how will you achieve security? 😉
(Credit photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I loved this piece of art work with the colorful Buddhas.
It got me thinking about peace and happiness–is it the same for everyone?
To one person, career, achievement, and money seems to make happy–as one of my friends told me about one of his extremely successful bosses who heads a large corporation and has not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 mansions on the water, in the mountains, and overlooking Central Park in NYC.
To another person, it’s being able to do what they want to in life–doing what makes you emotionally happy instead of what you have to do; the freedom to choose and to be passionate about what you do and how you spend you time every day–whether it’s a profession, an activity or sport, or even exploration and travel.
Yet others, find peace and satisfaction in spiritual and religious pursuits–joining the clergy or learning about G-d and philosophy, doing G-d’s commandments or helping his creations by doing good deeds.
Many of course, find peace and get nachas from their families, the loves of their life, their beautiful children and grandchildren, and helping the next generation to grow and prosper after us.
That can also extend to friends, community, and even colleagues–when we surround ourselves with other good people, those who we enjoy their company and have things in common, then we can find happiness with each other.
Being here in Florida for the holidays, I’m reminded of all the sun, beauty, and body-worshippers, those people who love their physique and good health, working out, looking good, being with others that look good, and even designing and making things that are beautiful.
And at the other end of the spectrum again are the intellectual nerdy nerds who get their energy from being brainiacs like one of my friend’s nephews who is one of silicon valley’s serial innovators.
Whatever you love, have, and do that makes you happy is something to be extremely grateful for.
Nothing is forever, and nothing is owed to us.
Use the gifts that G-d has given you with the wisdom to reach enlightenment by being good and generous to others and so that you truly merit these beautiful things and thank the creator who blessed you.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So had a new experience and went to the Salt Cave in Bethesda (a second choice if you can’t get to the secret superhero crime-fighting Bat Cave).
It was a large room filled with Himalayan salt for experiencing all the spa’s “healing” effects.
Supposed to be good to breath in all the minerals infused from the pink salt “micro climate” air and also for exposure to the skin.
It was fairly dark in the cave except for some recessed lighting behind some of the salt stone walls.
The chairs were these weird beach chairs that you could recline in, but it would’ve definitely been worth it to have some fancier cushioned seating to more fully relax in and to match the spa ambiance that they were selling.
In the background was relaxing meditation music and we were closed in the salt cave for 45-minute to enjoy the dark quiet salt effects.
It must’ve relaxed me, because when I got home, I had a Buddha face on and took a nice post-spa afternoon nap. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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