‘Better Days’ Ahead

By Megan Blood Seawright, MWEG Utah Chapter Lead

MWEG’s Utah chapter recently participated in Better Days 2020’s “Radification Celebration,” a lively festival celebrating Utah’s ratification of the 19th amendment. MWEG hosted a booth at the event, where members helped to inspire attendees through a Principles of Peacemaking activity.

We had each of MWEG’s six Principles of Peacemaking displayed, along with a woman from Utah history who exemplified each one, as the foundation of our “tapestry.” We asked people to write on ribbons things they could do or are doing to make the world a more peaceful, better place. They then wove their ribbons into the tapestry.

Here are some of the thoughtful ideas people wrote on their ribbons:

Be kind
No littering/picking up trash
Give food/help to people in need
Support refugee businesses
Love and pray for all I meet
Disagree civilly
Smile
Meet my neighbors
Speak up for underprivileged minority groups
Forgive
Treat every person like a friend
Work collaboratively with others
Share… cultures, food, and experiences
Listen
Use less plastic
Support foster care
Seek to understand before being understood
Volunteer
Be kind to people who are not nice to me
Stand up for equality
Empower future generations
Advocate for diverse and inclusive workplaces
Fight for justice and equality
Try to listen to people I disagree with
Talk to strangers and make them friends

It was a really beautiful experience to watch people of all ages and backgrounds brainstorm ideas. We loved talking to them about their various interests and efforts. And we felt inspired by seeing the breadth of actions they were taking — some were simple, some very specific, some large, some small. When we all do a little bit, the collective whole is a more peaceful, better world.

One person shared a beautiful sentiment on her ribbon that sums up the whole experience for me: “We are all connected. When we understand that, we can have peace with ourselves and others.”