"I could see Peace instead of this."
How empowering? I, not you nor he nor she, but I have the power to see Peace. No one else is even mentioned. It's funny how throughout our lives we are conditioned to worry with everyone around us. The Golden Rule teaches us to do unto others, and I agree. But, I think there should be a Silver Rule that teaches us to "Do Unto Ourselves as we would do unto others." The importance of loving, forgiving, caring for and nurturing ourselves is greatly undervalued and oftentimes deemed as selfishness. There is not a fine line but a gaping canyon between selfishness and self-love. The same inspirational books that teach us to do unto others, in the same breath, tell us to love ourselves before we can love someone else. The latter; however, is seen as cliche and its importance not really understood until one has reached a point of self-loathing where Life is interrupted, relationships are strained, and Happiness is a far off island reserved for those more deserving of a tropical vacation.
"This" is just a simple pronoun not referring to anything in particular. Not capitalized to stand out. Not even italicized or bolded or separated by any sort of emphasizing punctuation. Just 'this.' next to Peace it looks unimportant, plain, and even undeserving of any special attention. Peace sits proudly in the middle, capitalized and beautiful. It is the word that draws your attention and commands respect. It is a lighthouse, a beacon guiding the reader to the calm shore of recognition. I can have Peace. I don't have to have Fear, Anger, Sadness, Guilt, Punishment .... but I can have Peace. I have permission - to feel calm, to let go, to move forward. I have permission and I have given it to myself. That, perhaps, is the most important thing. It is up to me and no one else to allow myself to see Peace instead of this - this sorrow, this anger, this guilt, this self-loathing. I can love myself enough to forgive me of all I feel I've done wrong and in doing so I can do the same unto others.
