PEACE — Monday Motivational Meditation #373 — 2018-10-01

Peace is the beauty of life. It is sunshine.
It is the smile of a child, the love of a mother,
the joy of a father, the togetherness of a family.
It is the advancement of man, the victory of a just cause,
the triumph of truth.

Menachem Begin, 1913-1992

Born on August 16, 1913, in Brest-Litovsk, Poland (now Russia). He was prime minister of Israel from 1977 to 1983 and the co-recipient, with Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat, of the 1978 Nobel Prize for Peace.

PEACE

Freedom of mind and heart is often described as peace. I know friends and patients who have faced incredible challenges, yet they remain calm, content and free from anxiety. It is an experience that is awesome to behold. In their presence, I can find myself at peace and accepting of my life as it is in this moment.

The truth is all we have is this moment. It is each minute and hour that offers an invitation to be present to the deeper reality of who I am. When I can slow my incessant thoughts enough to realize that I am more than my thoughts, I have an opportunity to live in peace. It’s like being in nature and being a quiet observer of beauty.

There is noise around me to be sure especially in the healthcare world. In the midst of this can I listen. Being able to attend without adding my own thoughts is an extraordinary experience of peacemaking. It makes my thinking better.

Divine Peace, calm my restless thoughts to open myself to the depths of my being. Free from the endless messages being created in my mind, may I be truly present to those I care for from a center that is restful and calm. Open entirely to them, help me to trust that I will be guided in the ways to help others find peace. AMEN.

ACTION: What things come to your mind as you consider the word, “peace.” Do you consider yourself at peace? Are you a peace-maker? Who do you admire as someone who lives with peace in their heart most of the time? What traits do they have? Let them know this week.

Central American eco-guide and professional nature photographer Fred Muller was busy climbing trees and inventorying orchids in the mist-saturated cloud forests of Cobán, central Guatemala as part of a diversity study when I connected with him by phone this week. Fred is one of those incredible people who has abandoned the familiar to follow his passion; exploring and documenting the phenomenal diversity of tropical nature. He lives a full and active life introducing visitors from around the world to regional wildlands and their remarkable flora and fauna, especially the thousands of orchids that inhabit Mesoamerica.

Fred was born in Montpellier in southern France and, since early childhood, has had a fascination with nature and wild places around the world. He was a jewelry maker in France for a few years and that too stemmed from his fascination with all beautiful things. But, tired of sitting at a bench, he finally heeded the call of the wilderness. Traveling to Australia he followed the light with nothing else than a recent gift, his first professional camera given by one of his uncle’s friends, and boundless dedication day after day. Then, life connected him with both researchers and amateurs that needed high-quality photos of tropical wildlife and plants. He has been fulfilling his dream in Guatemala since his arrival there in 2007 after spending five years as staff photographer at the botanical garden in Lyon, France.

Fred’s extraordinary photographs of Central American orchids flowering in nature have appeared in the annual calendars of the American Orchid Society as well as on several well-known webpages that showcase tropical nature, including David Scherberich’s amazing online aroid plant image base and Exotica Esoterica where he is a collaborating author.

You can see samples of Fred’s amazing photographic work here. Or, better yet, feel free to contact us to connect with Fred and schedule a custom-made tour through the fascinating ecosystems and Pre-Columbian archaeological sites of southern Mexico, Guatemala and other countries in Central America.

Nursing Heart is grateful to Fred for permitting the use of his photos in this series called, “Peace.”

Nursing Heart Friends,

Earlier this month, I went with our new friends from Clemson University, Tracy and Roxanne, to San Juan la Laguna to introduce them to Maggie Cholotio and Salvador Lucan who will be continuing the work of Luis, Maggie’s husband in the months ahead. Luis was tragically killed in an auto accident earlier this year.

Maggie is taking over Luis’ business and Nursing Heart and friends are supporting her. Salvador will guide English-speaking groups while Maggie studies English. He studied with Luis as they gained their National Tour Guide license. The students from South Dakota, and all our BSN groups will receive their hospitality in the season ahead.

We are also thrilled to announce this week that Clemson University will be bringing two groups through the year ahead. It will be our pleasure and honor to share insights into international nursing work with them.

Our season officially gets underway in the first week of October as we welcome back our friends from the University of South Dakota. They will be installing nine stoves in San Lorenzo El Cubo. If you’d like to support them by donating a high-efficiency wood burning stove, click HERE.

In the photo, César, our clinical director, is rehearsing for his presentation to the group from South Dakota. He is not only taking on the job but also developing his English ability. He has a lot on his plate.

Our General Campaign is continuing. We are seeking 50 new monthly patrons of our work. We appreciate whatever you can do. Five dollars a month can make a big difference.

Peace,

If you are a nurse practitioner and would like to join us for the FAU group on November 3-10, we have space for at least two more. We would appreciate your help very much. Please write to me at ron@nursingheart.org if you are interested.

Also, our annual Friends of Nursing Heart program is scheduled for January 26-February 2. This program is open to nurses and others. We will be doing a building project and clinics during the week. It’s always a very special time. Click to learn more.

Learn more about our work at nursingheart.org.

Seeking peace with determination makes it elusive –
One almost has to seek beauty and gratitude
and let peace in through the back door.

Sue H Patterson
Founder of WINGS
Antigua, Guatemala

Learn about Sue’s story at WINGS