Growing up, I attended a Catholic church. At a certain point in the mass, the priest would direct the congregation to offer each other “the sign of peace.” This meant turning to the people near you, one by one, and depending on how well you knew them, giving them a hug or shaking their hand and saying “Peace be with you.”

At my Sunday morning yoga class, my teacher ends with this: “Om Shanti, Shanti Om. May there be peace in your hearts, peace in your lives, and peace in the world.”

All of us, every mortal being wants the same thing: to be safe and happy, to have peace. Today, on this day of rest, it is what I am wishing for all of us.

Peace be with you, kind and gentle reader.
May there be peace in your heart, peace in your life, and peace in the world.