The effect on my parents

I was not the only one in my family that has read this book. I was actually recommended to me by my parents. They read the book before I did and knew it would have an impact on my life. After reading the book, my parent have become more open to me and been more understanding. They trust me more and listen to what I have to say. This book has been in circulation among a group of friends of my parents and each family has been affected by this book. I recommend this book to families that often fight. I think that by reading this book, their family can become less stressful and more peaceful.

This book's effect on me

Tonight at CCD, we had to choose qualities that we think define our lives right now. Surprisingly, I chose peace and one of my top five qualities. It really made me realize how much of an effect this book has had on me. a month ago, before i started reading this book, peace would not have even been in my top 25 qualities. Now I can honestly say that everyday I try to live a life of peace. Every single day I use the lessons I have learned to solve conflicts. Now, I do not have nearly as much drama in my life.

Section 4: Spreading Peace

This section was fairly short but was very deep and impactful. It pretty much rounded up the whole book. I was introduced to the peacemaking pyramid. This pyramid shows all the steps when making peace with someone else in your life. At the bottom of the pyramid where you start is "getting out of the box and obtaining a heart of peace". I learned how to do this in the previous section and those steps have become a part of my everyday life. The second step of the pyramid is "build relationships with others who have influence". The next step is "build the relationship". This step may take time but is an important part of the peacemaking pyramid. The next step is "listen and learn". Often when we try to build a relevant relationship with someone, all we want them to do is listen to us. We never actually listen to the other person, and when we do, we are usually close minded. As much as what we have to say is important, listening to the other person is a big factor. The final step is "teach and communicate". When trying to make peace, sometimes we expect other to know what we are thinking. We need to communicate with them and help make peace.
Along with the pyramid, came 3 lessons.

• Lesson 1: most time and effort should be spent on the lower levels of the pyramid
• Lesson 2: The solution to a problem at one level of the pyramid is always below that level of the pyramid
• Lesson 3: Ultimately, my effectiveness at each level of the pyramid depends on the deepest level of the pyramid-my way of being

I have never read a book that has been so impactful on my life. I find myself getting along with others more often and easier. I now think before I talk and wonder my motives for making certain decisions. I have found more peace in my life than ever before. I am very glad I read this book because I can "sleep better at night" knowing that my heart is at peace. My relationships with other have also been impacted. I have grown a lot closer to my friends and even my parents. I recommend this book to everyone. It has had a major impact on me and I think it will on everyone else that reads it.

Section 3: From War to Peace

This last section war more about how we can bring our hearts back to peace rather than leaving them at war. I learned that there are steps in finding inner peace and getting out of the boxes that keep our hearts at war. The first step is to look for signs of yourself being in the box. If you know you are in a box and are not in denial, then it is easier for you to help yourself out. Sign of being in the box are blame justification, and horriblization. I found that I often see these signs in myself. Now I have completed step one in my life and can move on to step 2.
Step 2 is to find an out-of-box place such as an activity, relationship, or memory that brings joy into your life. Now whenever i find myself in a box, I have tried to go to my room and listen to music or play a sport. I try to do an activity that will calm me down and let me think about whether my heart is at peace or war.
Step 3 is to think about a new situation in your out-of-the-box perspective. You have to think about how being in a box that kept your heart at peace has affected others and how you can help them. This past week I have done a lot of reflecting and following these steps. I have found that my heart has been at peace more and I try to remain out of my box as much as possible. I have tried to make peace with others as well as myself and so far it is working out very well.