We have seen this before. A superpower nation invaded a sovereign country; a pessimistic picture of the world economy; the constant fear of weapons of mass destruction; the outbreak of a new dangerous virus; a world ideological war; the US tax-cut-driven growth recovery, by again, the Republican. And, well it is led by another Cowboy who replaced another Southerner.

It is striking that today’s situation resembles the global economic and politic developments of the early 1980s. Although some settings are somewhat different, it is déjà vu all over again.

 Prior to the release of a stunning growth rate of 8.2% in the third quarter of 2003, the US economy was in a dismal picture -- unemployment rate reached above 6% and federal deficit exploded uncontrollably; the Texan cowboy, George W. Bush is for a Hollywood’s Cowboy, Ronald Reagan who, in 1982, had to face the skyrocketing of unemployment rates to 7.6% -- the highest since the Great Depression of 1930s -- and the inflation rates to 6%; and, didn’t Reagan propose a major tax cut? Soviet Union attacked Afghanistan; the world economy, from Japan to Germany, is in trouble, much alike the world recession of the early 1980s wherein the value of the world export was down, the world production and the world GDP were stagnant; a mysterious disease, later named AIDS, was reported killed 40% of its victims; to a lesser extend, the ghost of last year SARS is still haunting today.

And perhaps, the most striking resemblance is the potential of a nuclear war.  Still remember when Reagan decided to deploy nuclear-head missiles, Pershing II in the Western Europe, in response to Kremlin’s decision of similar missiles, SS II? Early last year, Pakistan's president suggested that he had been ready to use atomic weapons if Indian forces entered his country during a flare-up in tensions last year. And, already believed to possess at least a couple of nuclear weapons, North Korea has signaled its intent to build more nuclear weapons, causing a serious problem not only in the peninsula, but to the entire Asia Pacific region. Teheran’s intention to acquire nuclear weapons has also posed a major concern of regional security in the Persian Gulf and Middle East. If the world’s anxiety in the early 1980s was the fear of the nuclear clash between two titans, the major threat today is the possession of nukes by third world countries, rouge states or by terrorist groups. And the latter seems to be the most dangerous of all.

In less than two decades, the world is transformed from a Cold War into a Cold Heart.  The prospect of a peaceful world is seemingly small given the ways the world leaders, from the underdeveloped countries to developed countries, are handling the world’s current and future problems.  

The question is, is still possible for peace to exist? Is, as John Lennon sang, possible to imagine that there is no people living life in fear and free from fanaticism and oppression? The answer is, yes, but it depends upon the choice of offered solutions. Out of many, one of the most possible solutions is by appealing not to the sophistication of military technology or exclusivity of ideology, but to the heart and the mind of people.

The greatest thing in life is not so much about the discovery of supercomputer, the exploration of outer space and the invention of super fast microprocessor and other sophisticated technological inventions. Rather, it is the freedom that every human being is endowed whether she or he chooses to become a peace-maker or a trouble-maker. Sufferings and injustice, of course, are not a justification to be in the second option as Gandhi, Mandela and others had shown that even under the most severed conditions, a peaceful attitude and spirit can blossom.

As Baruch Spinoza and Ralph Emerson said, peace begins with us. Each of human beings must find inner peace - a sense of calmness, security, joy and love which flows at every moment and has no beginning and no end. Peace, therefore, resides in human’s heart and mind.

Peace of mind is not about a demand for justice, it is an attitude and a choice that people can make, reflected in their actions and words. People’s actions - the way they live their lives - will resonate in their attitude toward peace. One fundamental instance is about accepting the existence of others. When one rejects the existence of someone else, it is impossible to have peace between them. That’s why peace is unattainable various parts of the world, including in the Middle East when one party does not fully accept the existence of the other, and vice versa. Equivalently, peaceful words can also have significant impact in promoting peace. Inspiring messages, the ideas of cooperation with others regardless their backgrounds, non-violence words and kindness wishes are all powerful “devices” at human’s disposal to promote peace. 

Peace of mind and peace of heart are the most important keys to peace on earth.  When each of human beings learns how to live in peace and harmony with all, regardless their backgrounds, there will be peace on earth. And when each of human beings takes every moment of her or his lives as an opportunity to build bonds of friendship, community and peace, there will be peace on earth. As Mother Teresa once said, “Peace begins with a smile”, smiles need to flourish in the world. Neither anger nor pride, and neither tanks nor suicide bombers can bring peace to the world.

Not all smiles could bring peace, however. It is not how long a smile would last, either. It is the quality that matters. Perhaps, Monalisa’s smile is the longest smile in the history. Yet, such smile could hardly bring peace. It is an honest, humble and sympathetic smile that can bring peace to others, a smile that flows from the heart.

And so, the attitude for peace has its origin in each individual’s mind and heart which in turn could transform into to a greater group: community. Community can be a family, friends, neighbors, a nation, or the world. It is entity -- a unified body of individuals -- that gives us a sense of belonging and purpose.

Simply, a community is a group of individuals who work together for the common goal of all members of the group. Each person is unique, with their own unique perception and vision of the world. But each individual cares about every other member of the group, and each person's life is an integral part of every other person's life in the group. 

In this sense, one may think of a human body as an example of a community of parts of human body. When leg is injured, the whole body is in pain. Conversely, the hand cannot throw out the eyes without turning a human being into a disabled one.

With a new perspective in building peaceful communities – a peace that flows from each individual’s heart and mind, not from military weapons and ideological fanaticism, the world could avoid the tragedy of the Cold War where millions of people lost their lives.

Blessed are the peace-makers.