What is peace?
What kind of person should I be?
Keep pursuing answers to these questions.
These were the words of Sachiko Yasui, Nagasaki atomic bomb survivor, peacemaker, mentor and friend. I had an unusual opportunity to meet Sachiko in 2005 and learn of her story. Over time, we shaped her memories and reflections into a book for young adults, that when published, was longlisted for a National Book Award. The experience listening to Sachiko brought me face-to-face with the apocalyptic nature of war and the extreme trauma one must overcome to recover, heal, and become whole. Knowing Sachiko helped me understand my father, a WWII veteran, who came home with PTSD along with a deeper knowledge of the human spirit. Knowing Sachiko helped me better understand how trauma impacts a family system, how it impacts children, how it impacted me. Because of Sachiko, I thought deeply about war, trauma and healing and embarked on a journey to reflect on the questions she posed to our readers: “What is peace? What kind of person should I be? Keep pursuing answers to these questions.” Journey is the right word because the work of peace is never done—the path to peace never really ends—the person you want to be and become keeps growing. With Sachiko’s story in mind, I’ve learned war comes in many forms. War between nations. In our cities. Our neighborhoods. Our families. Even within ourselves. Healing is part of peace. When we can heal ourselves, we help heal the world. When we help heal the world, we can help ourselves. Healing and peace are courageous companions. In our WEAVE Peace and Justice group, I hope we go deep and talk about what peace and justice means to us. I hope we inspire one another, learn and grow together, and pursue answers to our questions.