Peace

 

Nitobe Japanese Garden, Vancouver

In the wake of Remembrance Day, comrade Xerxes asks, “What is peace?”

He is right to point out that peace does not simply mean the absence of war. But we also need to go on and say what it does mean. To leave the meanings of words vague is an open invitation to the Devil. He will twist the word to his own purposes, to the extent of Orwell’s “war is peace.” This is why Confucius said that the first and most important task of government is to use terms properly.

If one consults the dictionary, the first meaning of peace is indeed not the absence of war. Oxford online gives it as “Freedom from disturbance; tranquility.” Hence “Mental calm, serenity.” I’m pretty confident the primary meaning of the Hebrew “shalom” or the Arabic “salaam” is the same.

As to what peace sounds or smells like, the experts on this are the Chinese. Feng shui is designed to bring such mental calm. The sound that most brings peace is that of gently running water; or the light tinkle of glass on glass, wood on wood, or metal on metal. The sights that most bring peace are those seen in a Chinese or Japanese tea garden: not roses in regimental order, and not random wilderness, but nature coaxed, a use of contrast always slightly off-balance. Always an odd number of elements. Never two things at equal distance, but also never at distances too dissimilar. Never two things the same size, but not vast differences in size.

Peace.