Introduction & Forward
From horror in Iraq to workplace shootings in our own country,
the daily litany of violence is staggering. Layered upon the conflicts
in our own lives, global unrest can’t help but leave us
unsettled and afraid.
Why can’t we stop fighting? If every human heart longs
for peace, why is the heart of the world so broken?
We each hold the key to these questions, says Peace in Our Lifetime. When we choose to resolve our conflicts nonviolently
and creatively, right where we are, we will create the peaceful
world for which we long.
With inspiration and stories gathered from more than 50 exceptional
peacemakers calming some of the hottest tensions around the world,
author and journalist Susan Skog powerfully shows how we create
peace in our own lives and extend it outward. She explores how
we stop destroying others with our anger and fear and reconcile
with hope and understanding.
The grassroots stories come from individuals like Jimmy Carter;
Sherri Mandell, whose son was stoned to death in Palestine; Arun
Gandhi, who forgave his grandfather’s murderer; Buddhist
leader Thich Nhat Hanh; Amber Amundson, whose husband was killed
Sept. 11; Susan Collin Marks, who helped create the conditions
to abolish apartheid; Eli Pariser, co-founder of MoveOn; William
Ury, internationally known mediator; 21-year-old Liberian refugee
Kimmie Weeks, who was forced to flee his homeland and now serves
as UNESCO peace ambassador; and Julie Goschalk, the daughter of
Holocaust survivors who brings understanding and forgiveness among
Jews and Germans.
Other stories come from people whose lives became embroiled in
conflict through everyday office brawls, neighborhood wars, or
religious clashes. These individuals show how they reclaimed their
lives and found ways to live respectfully, even lovingly. Two
prominent Colorado businessmen, for instance, share how they dropped
lawsuits against each other when they realized their hatred was
too painful. They saw that fighting one another was hurting them
both—and flew in the face of their spiritual beliefs. Instead,
they combined the money they would have spent on legal fees and
built a group home for homeless boys in Thailand. They made peace--and
extended it outward.
To download the introduction to Peace in Our Lifetime: Insights
from the World's Peacemakers, please click here.
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