There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace.   The King looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked.

      One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.  All who saw this picture agreed that it was a perfect picture of peace.

      The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was a dark, angry sky from which rain fell and in which lightening flashed. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a roaring waterfall. To most observers, this did not look peaceful at all. But when the wise King looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of rushing water, sat the mother bird on her nest.

      Which picture do you think won the prize?

       The King chose the second picture. Do you know why? "Because," explained the King, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work.  Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and everything still remains calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

-- Author Unknown