“Think with your heart.”
Thanks so much to David Hazen, for these words of wisdom and for sharing his story through Love Always Wins: Hope for Healing the Epidemic of Violence. It is a journey of honesty, authenticity, and a testament to the power, love, and creative intelligence of the human spirit. Yes, we can break the cycle of violence.
In Love Always Wins, David takes a page out of ‘the book of daring’ as he embodies and expresses the courage to be the change he wishes to see in the world. His personal story is a version of our collective story, a microcosm of the macrocosm.
The description of one individual’s journey from living in a culture of violence to creating a personal and social culture of peace, using Mark Umbreit’s Twelve Steps of Personal Peacemaking, is more than a good read. I recommend it for anyone seeking to heal and break the cycle of violence in their own life. You will find a wealth of information and practical recommendations.
Taking personal responsibility is a necessary first step to living a life of well-being in right relationship with self, others, and the world around us. Deep gratitude to David for wisely and lovingly taking us on his journey as he poignantly demonstrates how love prevails and that success is not spelled w-i-n. Letting go – the wisdom of going with the flow – is beautifully described as he reminds himself, and the reader, “I didn’t need to push the river. I could swim in it.”
During our time together with The Peace Alliance, I recall a session with State Coordinators regarding shared leadership and shared responsibility. David said afterwards, “Dot, you should write a book.” I am grateful that he did.
David writes, “How we give ourselves away, how we use our energy in relationship with others, determines our true wealth.” Indeed. May we all have the wisdom of the heart to offer our unique contribution on behalf of the common good.
Dorothy J. Maver, Ph.D., President, National Peace Academy USA
January 4, 2012
Dot Maver is an educator and peacebuilder whose keynote is inspiring cooperation on behalf of the common good. Her work in education, politics and grassroots community organizing is focused on applied peacebuilding utilizing a shared responsibility and shared leadership model.