14 Footprints of Peace

walking with destiny

Questions for reflection

What footprints are you currently leaving behind in your life?

What ideas have you found most interesting and/or challenging in this book?

Do you agree that ‘at the centre of all power there is weakness’?

The question, “Quo vadis?” hangs in the air. Where are you going?

Further reading and further thoughts

“You can find the footprints of God wherever there is beauty, virtue, humility, justice, truth, love and peace” Sri Sathya Sai Baba

“We all leave footprints in the sand; the question is will they be a big heal or a great soul” – Anonymous

“If you walk in the snow you cannot hide your footprints” – Chinese proverb

“Take only memories, leave only footprints” – Chief Seattle

“If you think you are too small to make a difference you have never been in bed with a mosquito” – Bette Reese

Read: Psalm 85:8-13 (Jerusalem Bible translation)

Nurture hope, inspiration and strategies for change by reading stories of what others have done – here are just a few of many many examples:

Philip Hallie, Lest innocent Blood Be Shed, HarperPerennial 1979

Wangari Maathai, Unbowed: My Autobiography, Arrow 2008

Alastair McIntosh, Soil and Soul: people versus corporate power’, Aurum Press 2004

Julia Butterfly Hill, The Legacy of Luna, HarperCollins 2001

European Centre For Conflict Prevention, People Building Peace: 35 inspiring stories from around the world, International Books 1999 (see volume two, Lynne Rienner Publications 2005)

A peacemeal idea

Share a Peacemeal, while eating talk together around the theme of leaving ‘footprints of peace’ behind us as we live our daily lives. What do we understand by a ‘footprint of peace’? How can we grow in confidence that we are in fact doing this? What things might contaminate our footprints? To conclude the meal, take a bowl of warm water and in turn quietly wash and gently dry each others feet, with the prayer that both their real and metaphorical footprints will bring shalom wherever they walk.

Living it out

Re-imagine the legend with you meeting Jesus on a road that leads away from all the challenges of today’s world. In answer to your own question to him, “Quo vadis?”, make a conscious positive response to Jesus’ invitation, “Follow me”, as he walks directly and steadfastly towards all the huge issues that face the world today. Walk with him, making this a daily choice.

Standing amid the towering challenges that face the world today and feeling the enormous pressure they exert on our mind and behaviour, we can be reduced to a sense of powerless impotence. Consciously embrace the truth that ‘ … at the centre of all weakness there is power’ and prayerfully focus on areas of life in which you particularly want to make a difference. You cannot do everything but you can do something. Both personally, and working with others who share your vision, devise strategies towards radical change – however small they will not be insignificant and will be another step towards changing the world towards the shape ofshalom.

A meditation

Watch the film Princess Mononoke and then go on a prayerful meditative walk, visualising your footprints bringing forth bursts of wild flowers of peace everywhere you step. When you get home, try writing in a journal any ideas that the meditation has given you as to how these metaphoric footprints can become a reality of shalom.