Peace Begins With Conversation.

It seems in this day, with all the rushing around and devices hanging from our hands and heads, things to distract us, that a lot of us have forgotten a few things. So I wanted to take a moment to remind us of some very important things that we may have gotten distracted from and missed along our journey.

Our children:
Our Spouses (or significant others):
Our Parents:
Are we spending so much time with our faces in a computer or cell phone attached to our ears or the tips of our fingers that we are cheating or children of face time?
Do we communicate by text more than by across the dinner table?
Our Neighbors:
When was the last time you sat on the front porch and just talked about nothing?
When was the last time you prepared food, whether cookies, fresh bread or a meal, for your neighbor?
Do you even know your neighbors name?
Our community:
Do you ever do volunteer work?
Do you help when there is a shut in who needs their house winterized?
Do you toss your change into the salvation army little red bucket or do you toss it at the bellringer as if they are slowing you down? Have you ever stopped to say thank you to the bell ringer?
When the cashier is finished with your transaction... do you walk away in a rush? Or do you say thank you, have a nice day?  ( I wonder how many people even know thier regular cashiers first name).
When a waiter/waitress has introduced themselves to you and says I will be your waiter/waitress, do you catch their name and then use it? Or do you call them "Hey Miss" or "Excuse me Mister"?
Do you leave anything in the box for the paper carrier or the mail carrier? (Not just at Christmas either if just then it doesn't count.) Do you know your child's bus driver by name? Or their teacher? Perhaps the crossing guard? Have you ever told them "Thank you for getting my child home safe?"  Is there someone in your office that you never see anyone talking to; Someone you consider to be a loner? Have you ever taken a moment to say hello and ask how are you?  I could go on and on, but I think you get what I am pointing out. Now PLEASE....go out there and speak to people face to face, exchange pleasantries, get to know each other. Peace begins with conversation.