"Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

Well it has been a while since I have updated this and for that I am truly sorry.  I have been super busy and I know that's not an excuse but here's a little bit about what I have been doing.

Today, the Women's group met in Short Strand and started a program on Peace and Reconciliation. Throughout this program, we are looking at conflict and reconciliation in our lives and in the world today.  We worked through a working definition of what conflict is and how we see it in our lives.  We also explored the different terminology that goes along with conflict.  For example, we looked at the different between intra-personal conflict and inter-personal conflict.  Intra-personal conflict is a conflict that we have with ourselves.  An argument or disagreement about whether we want to eat a certain type of chips or drink a certain type of drink is an example of intra-personal conflict.  We each have this conflict within us whether we consciously realize it or not.  Inter-personal conflict is conflict between you and another person or persons.  This is the type of conflict we normally see in our everyday lives through war, abuse and through many more ways.  It's going to be interesting to be a part of this because the conflicts we, as Americans, is different than that of the people in Northern Ireland but all in all, it will be insightful to learn more about the commonalities and differences in our conflicts other than the obvious ones.

Going a little bit back in time, I went on a residential, aka a retreat, with the youth of the church this weekend to Annalong.  It was a great weekend and it gave me a change to really get to know the youth of the church.  We talked about where they see themselves in the church, what they want in terms of a youth group and what they want from the new Skainos building.  For fun, we went the the Peace Maze in Castlewellan, which is the largest maze in the UK and the second larges in the world, and to Newcastle to tour around the shops for about an hour.  The maze was a lot of fun and Tanita and I completed it without cheating and going over or through hedge.  All in all, the weekend was great but extremely tiring.  I'm still trying to get caught up on my sleep.  Haha!!

Going even a little father back, last Tuesday, the Women's group met with two or three other groups for a workshop for a play that we are going to see this upcoming Thursday, the 13th.  The play is called Guidelines by Tinderbox, a theatrical group here in Belfast.  The play is about 1% of the population that is left after a huge world disaster and how they survive.  They warn us that there are times in the play that might be uncomfortable but it should be interesting no less.  There will be more about the play in the next post.

All in all, I have had a great couple of weeks, busy but great.  This weekend we are going to Dublin for a day trip, so there will most def be pictures from that!! :-)

But for now, here are a few pictures of some of the peace walls here in Belfast, along with a few pictures of the maze!!

One of the Titanic Murals

Portraying how the Red Hand of Ulster came about

Largest maze in the UK

Largest Maze in the UK take 2!!

I feel its only appropriate to close this post with a Shel Silverstein quote: "I will not play tug o' war. I'd rather play hug o' war. Where everyone hugs instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins."  With the current Peace and Reconciliation course I'm in, this quote is all the more appropriate cause we need to learn to love one another no matter what, even if we have some differences.  Much love and thanks!!! :-)