This past Wednesday, September 21, was World Peace Day. To celebrate, all the Chesterfield Montessori students gathered in the gym and sang Light a Candle For Peace, as did Montessori schools all across the world. We, the adolescents, in addition to the performance, had a creative writing session about advocating peace and becoming peace activists. Because peace is such a broad topic and we have different writing styles, the responses were very unique.

For me personally, to start fighting for peace, we must all have a clear understanding of peace. Is it a place? An emotion? Do we have it in ourselves? Or is it just a symbol of something we had long ago and are trying to bring back? Peace, whatever your definition may be has over time become the opposite of conflict, a safe haven within a word, which is something necessary in the world.

Allison, however, had a clear explanation of what peace was to her. “…peace is a feeling rather than a thing. Peace is the feeling of happiness, the feeling of ‘everything is going good for me right now, at this exact moment.’ When someone says, ‘I am at peace with the world,’ to me they are saying, ‘I am happy with how life is going for me right now.’”

Again, other people had different ideas. Paige bypassed the meaning of peace and went straight to action plans. “The world needs peace. But in order to promote peace we must be peaceful. Being peaceful can mean different things. It can mean just being still and listening. If you just think a little before you speak your words will have more meaning. But peace can also mean two enemies becoming friends. It may seem hard at first but people who support peace make it work.”

What do you think peace is? How do you advocate for it? Talk to your friends and family, establish the meaning of peace, and spread the word. We can work together to spread peace around the world.