Just One Day

Last night, laying in bed, I could not fall asleep.  A phrase popped in my head, "just one day," and around that phrase built up an idea, that if we could achieve just one day of peace, a global ceasefire, laying aside political differences, domestic violence, civil war, stop and observe just one day of peace, and save hundreds of lives for just one day, maybe we could learn some compassion in that 24 hour period.  I sprang from bed, unable to get the thought out of my head, turned on the laptop, and wrote a little 2-3 minute speech I was gonna put on YouTube and hope for it to go a good kind of viral and see people commit to restraining from any type of violence for just that one day.

I'll share what I wrote in a moment, because I still believe in the thought that came to me, but with a day's time to ponder, I realized...surely someone's already tried this.  Sure enough, it's been happening since 1981, is managed by the United Nations, and is recognized by several countries on September 21st.  I hope next year to adapt the following message recognizing International Day of Peace and I would like to become a part of that, if even from an armchair advocate roll until I can afford significant donations of time and/or money to such endeavors.

Before I share, I'll tell you it's been this year that has made me hope and pray for a more peaceful family, state, nation, and world.  I've seen a lot of turmoil, with our own election and the absolute frothing derision our two main parties have with each and how it's affecting the public, to the continued fight for freedom among Arab nations.  I don't think in my lifetime I have known a true peacetime, tensions with Russia in the 80's, first Gulf War in the 90's, 9/11, the second Gulf War, Afghanistan, Pakistan...we've been in some variant version of war for as long as I can remember.  It's 2012, I've seen enough anger and spite, and the much ballyhooed Doomsday approaches.  But I wanted to seize it, and make it our own, each generation wants to change the world, I'm no different, and I know I can't do it on my own.  So I slapped the following together, and if you like it, please share it, customize it with your name and thoughts, spread it.  I'll join in on International Day of Peace, but that doesn't mean we can't shoot for 12/21/12 marking a day of peace as well, even if for just one day.

Just One Day:

Hello, my name is JD Buffington, I am an American, an author, and a family man helping my girlfriend to raise her teenage daughter, both of whom I love very much.  In my 33 years of life, and in the lives of my parents, and their parents, there has never been a true world peace.  There has always been some conflict, great or small, civil or between neighbors; if not with weapons then with threats and political posturing.   I am asking for your help in attempting just one day of peace.  I would like to see a global ceasefire occur on December 21st, 2012.

                I choose this date because it has become popular as a doomsday date, but the Mayan long count calendar indicates that on that date, one age will end, and a new one will begin.  Let’s take control of that!  Let’s usher in a new age that starts with a day no one has to die unnaturally, and everyone can know peace, even if for just one day.

                I know that I do not understand the politics of the entire world, let alone the highly complicated politics of my own country and its involvement in many battle situations across the globe.  I know that some are fighting for what they believe in, that they believe in freedom or a better way of governing the people; but know that peace cannot be controlled, no matter how good the intentions.  Peace is a choice and peace is broken with the rise of a fist or the pull of a trigger.  But if you could strip away politics, religion, or nationality, you might be able to see the beauty of humankind.

                If you could see the greatness that is the human race, you would see the intricate genius even in your own weapons, or cars, or cities; the Pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge, New York City, Dubai, Hong Kong, or even just your house.  We are capable of great, powerful, and beautiful things, of writing and speaking, of painting and sculpting; and we are also capable of being quiet and appreciative, but like peace, those are choices, and they can be more easily broken than maintained.

                I ask that you join me in hope, prayer, and action.  Let us give respect to each other, regardless of religious adherence or the lack thereof, of political affiliation, of skin color, of societal orientation, or what nation we or our parents come from.  Let us cease wars with weapons or words, for just one day.  On December 21st 2012, if you can help it, lay down your weapon and enjoy just one day of peace, reach out and shake someone’s hand, and smile at each other and strangers.  Let’s work together to see just one day of world peace and we’ll deal with December 22nd when it gets here.

English:

For just one day, let’s try not to fire or discharge weapons of any type

For just one day, let’s try to ignore our differences and see the beauty in our fellow humans

For just one day, let’s try to make our Creator and the Universe smile upon us

For just one day, let’s try for world peace

Just one day

Spanish:

Por tan sólo un día, vamos a tratar de no despedir o descargar armas de cualquier tipo
Por tan sólo un día, vamos a tratar de ignorar nuestras diferencias y ver la belleza en nuestros semejantes
Por tan sólo un día, vamos a tratar de hacer nuestro Creador y la sonrisa Universo sobre nosotros
Por tan sólo un día, vamos a tratar de la paz mundial
Sólo un día

French:

Pour une seule journée, nous allons essayer de ne pas tirer ou décharger des armes de tout type
Pour une seule journée, nous allons essayer d'ignorer nos différences et de voir la beauté de nos frères humains
Pour une seule journée, nous allons essayer de faire de notre Créateur et le sourire Univers sur nous
Pour une seule journée, nous allons essayer de la paix mondiale
Juste un jour

German:

Für nur einen Tag, lasst uns versuchen, nicht zu feuern oder entladen Waffen aller Art
Für nur einen Tag, lasst uns versuchen, unsere Differenzen zu ignorieren und die Schönheit in unserer Mitmenschen
Für nur einen Tag, wollen wir versuchen, unser Schöpfer und das Universum Lächeln auf uns zu
Für nur einen Tag, lasst uns für den Weltfrieden zu versuchen
Nur einen Tag

Chinese:

仅仅一天时间，让我们尽量不解雇或解除任何类型的武器
仅仅一天时间，让我们忽略我们之间的分歧，并在我们的人类同胞看到美女
仅仅一天时间，让我们尝试使我们的创造者和宇宙的微笑后，我们
仅仅一天时间，让我们尝试为世界的和平
仅仅一天

Russian:

Для всего за один день, давайте попробуем не стрелять или разрядить оружие любого типа
Для всего за один день, давайте пытаться игнорировать наши различия и видеть красоту в наших собратьев
Для всего за один день, давайте попробуем сделать наш Творец и Вселенная улыбкой на нас
Для всего за один день, давайте попробуем для мира во всем мире
Только один день

Arabic:

ليوم واحد فقط، دعونا نحاول عدم حريق أو أداء أي نوع من الأسلحة
ليوم واحد فقط، دعونا نحاول أن نتجاهل خلافاتنا ورؤية الجمال في بني البشر
ليوم واحد فقط، دعونا في محاولة لجعل خالقنا والابتسامة الكون علينا
ليوم واحد فقط، دعونا نحاول للسلام العالمي
يوم واحد فقط

Japanese:

たった一日のために、任意の型の武器を発射または放電しないようにしようしてみましょう
たった一日のために、私たちの違いを無視しようと私たちの仲間の人間の美しさを見てみましょう
たった一日のために、のは私たちに私たちの創造主と宇宙の笑顔を作るために試してみましょう
たった一日のために、のは世界平和のために試してみましょう
一日だけ

Hebrew:

רק ליום אחד, בואו ננסה שלא לירות או לפרוק נשק מכל סוג
רק ליום אחד, בואו ננסה להתעלם מההבדלים בינינו ולראות את היופי בבני האדם האחרים
רק ליום אחד, בואו ננסה לעשות את בוראנו וחיוך היקום עלינו
רק ליום אחד, בואו ננסה לשלום העולם
רק יום אחד

I will say, there is absolutely no intended order in the languages selected here, and the translations are provided by Google, so please forgive poor syntax and grammar.

We can do this, just one day is all I ask.