Peace can be defined as a stress-free state of calmness and a feeling of security that comes when there is no violence, fighting or war.

Peace is everything being able to co-exist in harmony and freedom.

However true world peace has not been obtained for centuries, there has always been violence, anger, wars, poverty and famine – just a few examples of the contributing factors that go against peace.

Peace can be both big and small, and can range from peace in an entire country or group of countries or brief, personal moments.

For example after a war between two countries, those countries may sign a peace treaty, but is this treaty truly worth the paper it is signed on? While the main conflict may be over, there are more then likely to be tension and stress and pain.

Conflict and suffering lasts long after the opposing factors have put pen to paper.

Whilst we can all take steps and strive for true and complete peace both personally and in the world, who is to say it will, or indeed can, happen.

We can all take steps to live a more peaceful life as we have discussed in previous articles, the smallest pebble dropped in a pond can cause ripples that stretch across the whole body of water. Humanity, both as individuals and as groups, should strive to be that pebble, to take that step of changing just one small thing in our lives.

When we feel at peace with ourselves, we are content with who we are, including our flaws, as we know, no body is perfect.

But through several small steps we can achieve a level of peace in our lives and this will hopefully “ripple” out to those who surround you.

The journey to all of us living in harmony will be a long and difficult one, we know this, but imagine the beauty of existing in a general harmonious state with one another as a whole, with the absence of stress, anxiety or fear of violence.

This can be achieved, but we all have to make just one small step, by increasing our overall understanding, dropping old barriers and creating and fording new relationships.

Peace is a gradual process that can not and indeed should not be achieved ‘overnight’