In search of peace

I received an email this morning from an old friend, a delightful woman who was one of our wedding party, all those years ago, and who now does AIDS research. Cuts in government funding have forced academic medical centers like hers to take in more patients to try to build revenue, but even then some clinics fail and others have to pick up the slack.

As a result she works 15-16 hour days with a constantly growing patient load and no relief in sight -- and of course the work itself is stressful.  So she wrote asking for a link to this blog as a way to get a quick daily dose of serenity. At the same time, Bishop Steven Charleston, whose Facebook site I follow, posted a prayer this morning for peace. So in honor of the amazing contribution both of these individuals make to society -- and perhaps because I'm feeling in need of a little peace myself -- I thought I'd post a particularly peaceful image this morning.

Peace.

I know it's out there.

But some days it does seem particularly hard to find. I'm grateful that my camera offers both a reminder that there can be peace and an invitation to return to that peaceful place in my heart.