Sources of Personal Peace

English Literature

Where and With Whom I Find Peace

It is very important for each individual to have and know a sense of peace during his/her life. Over the course of this paper, I will explain the places where I find peace and with which people I find peace in my life. There will be four areas of discussion in this paper. One place where I find place is in my church, or overall, with my relationship with my concept of God. I also find peace with my family. I, like many people, find peace with friends, especially during times of vacation and leisure. Finally, I find peace in the exercise and use of my imagination. A sense of peace is necessary for many reasons, especially in this modern world. Each person needs a way to unwind, relax, and reflect. The world can be very harsh and can make a person feel isolated or small; this is a reason why it is necessary to try to find peace in the relationships with others. Without a sense of peace or place where one finds peace, a person can feel very unstable, unsettled, and a mess of emotions.

My relationship with God gives me peace. I was raised to attend church services. There is a strong and prominent tradition of organized religion in my family. There are even some of my members of my family (ancestors) who were members of the clergy and held other offices in churches. Thus, I am familiar with having religion as part of my life. This has not always been easy. Sometimes my beliefs have lost me friends or gotten me in challenging situations. There have been other times my beliefs have changed or were challenged by experiences in life that I did not understand. Nonetheless, I have found my relationship with God and my ties to my church to be a positive and peaceful influence in my life.

It is comforting to return to the church. I see familiar faces. It is comforting to see people come together in celebration or in mourning to support each other. People at my church feel comfortable enough to share their hardships with the fellowship, so that we all can join together in prayer or concern for each other. I know there are many ways that religion has been used for immoral actions and other negative reasons. This does not mean that religion cannot be used in ways that actually bring people peace. I do not believe that my religion provides all the answers to life's questions and challenges. I do know that my religion and my relationship with God helps me find what answers I can and to overcome obstacles, and this is how they give me a sense of peace. Sometimes I feel like just having a connection or relationship with what I believe to be God gives a strong sense of peace all by itself.

My family provides me with a sense of peace, too. Being a part of a family is not an easy experience for anyone. There are definitely challenges and just plain tough experiences when people have the family connection. Regardless, it is possible to find people in one's family that give support, love, and peace. I have learned a great deal from my family relationships. I have learned how to be a good friend and a good sibling. I have learned how to be a respectful and courteous child. I have learned how to value and listen to my elders. All of these things would not be possible without the experiences I have had with my family.

Throughout the ups and downs of my experiences with my family, I have always maintained a strong feeling of love for them. This is something else I have learned and applied to other relationships in my life as a result of the peace I find from my family. I have learned how to accept people for who they truly are -- all parts of them. Family teaches one how to love another person, essentially, and also teaches what it is like to be loved. The examples of loving relationships and loving behaviors that we have within the family are the templates for relationships we have in the future. Let's face it -- every person has some kind of family problem at some point in life. Everyone has had an issue, problem, or just plain disaster that is directly related to family. Whether we are surrounded by positive family relationship models or negative family relationship models, there are lessons to be learned from the family. This is very difficult process.

I have troubled relationships with members of immediate and extended family over the course of my life. It has taken me years to understand not all relationships are strong, are positive, or work out. Learning this tough lesson through troubled relationships with my family has brought me peace. On the other hand, the positive relationships I have with my family give me a sense of peace directly and immediately. I am grateful for the warmness in my family life and family home. I am grateful that my family has provided me a strong sense of home, and what it means to have or build a home with others. When I am ready for my own family, the lessons I have learned from my family will help make my new family stronger. These feelings of home and love from my family and home give me great peace.

My friends give me a great sense of peace because I need them just as they need me. It brings me pleasure to be a good friend. It is also a good feeling to know there are people who know how to be a good friend to me. I have not always had good friends. Or there have been times when I thought good friends were just that, when, in fact, they were the exact opposite. I am, in a way, grateful for the bad friends because they have become strong and clear examples of people I need to stay away from. I am also grateful for bad friends because I learned about what type of person I was at the time we were friends that allowed me to sustain relationships with bad people. One activity I especially enjoy to do with friends is taking vacations. Sometimes we can take an in-town vacation, but other times we will travel near and far to have some relaxing times and make fond memories. Friendship feelings and experiences are so valuable to me. My friends give me feelings of peace.