During a short trip to Aldi, I had three opportunities to practice peace.

First was the car that disregarded my right-of-way as I drove into the parking lot. I slowed and let him in front of me. No horns were beeped.

Second, there was the woman in an awful hurry cutting across the entrance, blocking me as I walked into the store. She didn’t even see me. I stopped and let her proceed.

Third, waiting in line, a woman edged her cart in front of mine to check out. I caught her eye and said, “Go ahead.” I was a little miffed, but then she began talking to me about her purchase of TEN quarts of half-and-half. “My mother drinks this much a week with her coffee! Isn’t it crazy?” “Yes,” I agreed, “crazy.” We had a laugh together.

I am not religious, but believe we are all connected — our actions (intentions, thoughts), however small, affect others. My vitriol, repulsion, or hatred befoul my mood, my relationships, and my community. In the same way, kindness, forbearance, generosity and forgiveness bring down the temperature in a world that is heating up.

This is my prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.