When you've seen beyond yourself, then you may find, peace of mind is waiting there.
Yesterday, as I strolled through the West End of Nashville, I saw a very old brick wall, and an open gate
An invitation that I can never refuse
I made my way through autumn leaves, past dignified buildings and clock tower that was kind enough to boom out the hour as it has for so many years
It seems I had stumbled upon Vanderbilt University
Being an academic as well as an incurable romantic
I was ecstatic
I followed path after path beneath a canopy of trees and felt the peace that you only find in churches and very old universities
This one was particularly quiet, which is odd as it is on
a very busy Nashville street
Then I saw her
From a distance, I really could not tell if it was a real person or...no...it was a beautiful statue of Margaret Branscomb, the wife of a former chancellor
and the author of the quiet
Margaret had wanted to protect the campus from the dust and the noise
and had championed the planting of hundreds of magnolia trees around the outside of the campus by marshaling the faculty wives and raising the money
all for the love of quiet, and peace, and purpose
Don't you want to be that person?
I do
Someone who cares so much for the peace in the lives of others that they will surround them with whatever is necessary to make it soToday
Find a way to protect your peace today and the peace of those you love
and that's poetiquejustis
