Superpowers

My sister told me about a little boy she met who was obsessed with superheroes.  “If you could pick three superpowers, what would they be?”, he asked her excitedly.  After she gave her answer, he asked, “Why do you want those superpowers?”, as if he had the ability to grant superpowers, but only if the reasoning for the superpower were valid.  Then he enthusiastically added, “Okay, you can have one more…” granting her another superpower, clearly not ready for the conversation about his favorite topic to end.  Peace is my superpower equivalent.  If I had a superpower it would be the ability to grant peace.  Peace is objectivity, and acceptance.  If granting peace were a superpower, the world would become an exponentially better place.  

Having been granted peace, people would receive the gift of objectivity.  Objectivity is an element of peace.  Being objective allows living in peace with awareness and provides space to solve problems rather than argue about them.  People granted peace would in turn gift their friends, family, and maybe the world with solutions to problems.  Egos would dissipate for those granted the objectivity of peace, and they would have the ability to see and feel how they are connected to others and everything.  They would look at problems, issues, and conflicts with objectivity rather than through the narrow lens of ego.  As attention is applied in objectivity, problems would dissolve and peace would spread.  

Granting peace would be giving the gift of acceptance.  Acceptance is also an element of peace.  None get through life without bad things happening. Of course, when something bad happens we determine what can be done to mitigate pain and suffering.  Accepting that something bad happened doesn’t mean doing nothing about it.   However, suffering is amplified when we attempt to reject the bad thing that happened.  A bad thing happened. It shouldn’t have happened, but it did.  It cannot be undone.  It is easier to move past the bad thing when it is accepted, looked at objectively, and determined how best to move forward.  Fighting reality only causes more suffering.  If granting peace were my superpower, suffering may not be eliminated but it would be alleviated.  

Peace can also be joy. When granted peace, the miracle of existence and feeling of gratitude would be the recipient’s underlying feeling.  Living in peace would mean living in the moment and recognizing the best thing that can be done in that moment. When doing the best thing that can be done in the moment, life would be enriched adding layers of joy to peace. Living in the moment would manifest feelings of gratitude and a joyful sense of peace.  A person granted peace would not be terrorized by the past or obsessed with the future.  There would be much joy appreciating being present in the moment.  Peace and joy would then multiply as it spreads to others.  When living in peace and joy, peace and joy would be propagated.  People interacting with a joyful peaceful person would also experience joy and peace, then in turn infect others with peace and joy.

If I had a superpower it would definitely be to spread peace.  This website and expressions of peace through art are attempts to spread peace.  While having the ability to spread peace through kindness, and peaceful actions, I have no superpower.  My attention will continue to  be focused on how to spread peace.  Hopefully, at least fleeting moments of peace can be offered to others; but ultimately, peace must be granted to ourselves by ourselves.

In the comments section, please share what you would choose for your superpower and why?  If I had a superpower, it would be the ability to grant you peace.  Wishing you peace, love, and joy.