It took me awhile to figure out my approach to peace. I mistakenly felt that it was just a lack of noise, activity, or aggravation. While it took me almost 70 years to figure it out, I realize that I was discovering it all along but just didn’t recognize it. Medication helped particularly with the concentration. But what worked most effectively was just stopping and taking in what was gong on around me without judgment. I still crave stimulation. I still spend time experimenting with new settings and testing my somewhat diminishing ability to cope with whatever situation I put myself in. But there is no question that I let peace find me now. I do make decisions like the one to take a break from the high level of activity in my urban home. I’ve often said that I feel comfortable in two places; deep in the city or deep in the woods. I find peace in both but I look in both now on a regular basis. It’s the in-between part, the suburbs or the vastness of farmland that I find tough to negotiate. I do it, but I have to really work hard to find peace. We are in a cabin now at the end of a small gravel road on the side of a foothill near Townsend, TN. Right at the backdoor of the Smoky Mountains National Park. Last night we had a visit from a black bear and her yearling. She does know how to open a bear proof trash can but fortunately it was empty. She saw us an true to nature moved off and in about five minutes her cub showed off and didn’t even stop to inspect her handiwork. The cub did look back to see the strange creatures smiling back. No fear, no loud noises, just letting it be. Today we will be joined by an extremely close friend for two days of fly fishing. We will put back everything we manage to catch. I will spend most of my time just watching the river. It’s the act of fishing that I enjoy the most not the number of fish caught. I like the sound of the river. No fear, no loud noises, just letting it be. It’s a good definition for peace.