A.J. Muste - "There is no way to peace; peace is the way."

Welcome to the Daily Quote – I'm Andrew McGivern.

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Today's quote comes from A.J. Muste, a minister and pacifist who dedicated his life to social justice and nonviolent activism.

He said:

"There is no way to peace; peace is the way."

There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.
Read that again. He's not saying peace is the destination. He's saying peace is the journey.

Most people think: "Once I achieve this, then I'll have peace. Once I get the promotion, the relationship, the money, the recognition – then I'll be at peace."

Muste is saying you've got it backwards. You don't arrive at peace after achieving things. You practice peace while pursuing them.

Peace isn't something you reach. It's something you embody.
This applies to everything. Not just global conflicts, but personal ones too.

You can't create a peaceful life through anxious striving. You can't build peaceful relationships through conflict and aggression. You can't find inner peace by constantly fighting against yourself.

The means must match the end. If you want peace, you must practice peace now. Not later. Not once conditions are perfect.

Now.

This seems impossible at first. How can I be at peace when there's so much to do? So many problems to solve? So many obstacles to overcome?

Muste would say: that's exactly when you need peace. Not after you solve everything. During.
Peace isn't the absence of challenges. It's your response to them.

You can face difficulty with peace. You can work hard with peace. You can solve problems with peace. You can pursue goals with peace.

Or you can do all those things with anxiety, stress, and inner conflict. And even if you succeed, you won't have peace. Because you didn't practice it along the way.
Peace is the way. Not the destination.

So here's the question: What are you waiting for before you allow yourself peace? And what would happen if you practiced peace right now, in the middle of everything?
Because peace isn't where you're going. It's how you get there.

That's it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern – I'll see you in the next one with another Daily Quote.