A Reflection on Finding Peace in a Troubled World

A Quaker Maid
by James B. Kenyon

She sits beneath the trellised vine
Beside the open door;
Warm arabesques of sunlight shine
Along the checkered floor.

Her busy needles wink and glance
As still her task she plies;
By bordered walks the midges dance;
Above, the swallow flies.

Her face is calm; her eyes are meek;
About her smooth young throat,
And lightly blown o'er either cheek,
The silken tendrils float.

Beneath the snow-white kerchief spread
Across her placid breast,
Unvexed by change or darkling dread,
Her spirit lies at rest.

Peace is her world; no thought of ill,
Nor breath of sordid strife,
E'er taints the pure desires that fill
Her cool, hushed round of life.

Afar the city roars; there sweeps
The long white way that gleams
For other feet; she sits and keeps
Alone her quiet dreams.

We are living in a time of storms. Every day brings new headlines filled with shootings, robberies, conspiracy theories, lies, threats, and the looming shadow of nuclear war. It feels as though the world is spinning faster, not toward progress but toward chaos. These troubling events stir deep anxiety and helplessness in many people. Studies show that children and adolescents, as well as adults, are increasingly worried about the world they are inheriting.

Adding to this weight is the reality of climate change, something we can all see and feel, yet still some of our leaders refuse to acknowledge. Denial does not change reality. Young people, especially teenagers, are feeling the pressure of this looming crisis. Many are afraid, and rightfully so. Yet the United States, instead of leading the way, has stepped back from important international discussions on reversing environmental damage.

In the middle of this darkness, a poem like A Quaker Maid by James B. Kenyon arrives like a gentle breeze through an open window. It brings with it a sense of peace and calm, reminding us that serenity still exists.

The poem describes a Quaker maid—simple, quiet, content. She is not on a screen. She is not shouting. She is not part of the noise. She is simply living, and in that simplicity there is something beautiful, even sacred.

What moves me most about this poem is that it shows us what is possible. We don’t have to be Quakers to find peace. We don’t need to live in the countryside or retreat from the world entirely. But we do need to turn away from the constant bombardment of falsehoods and fear. We need to protect our minds and hearts from the flood of disinformation pouring through social media and even television, which too often glorifies violence and conflict.

Speaking personally, I am sick of it. Truly sick. The endless twisting of facts, the lies and fake news, the shouts on television that masquerade as conversation, the way truth is bent and broken. These things leave me feeling unwell in my body and in my spirit. And I know I’m not alone.

That is why A Quaker Maid is so important. It reminds us that we can live differently. We can choose quiet over noise. We can choose presence over distraction. We can walk away from our screens and find joy in the small, ordinary moments of daily life. We can talk to one another face to face. We can look out the window and listen to birdsong. We can find meaning not in chaos, but in calm.

The poem reminds me that there is still goodness in the world. It’s there in the silence, in kindness, in the way someone prepares a meal or folds the laundry or smiles without needing a reason. Peace is not gone. It's just hidden beneath the noise. And if we turn down the volume, we can still find it.

My hope is that we all take a moment to step back from the confusion of our modern world and remember that a life of peace, like that of the Quaker maid, is still within reach. It may not make the headlines. But it may help save our hearts.

One thing we can do in the pursuit of inner peace is to do a quiet meditation, or sit and close your eyes, and take an imaginary journey to a favorite place you have visited in the past or that you would like to visit in the future. My imaginary journey is always to the beach and hearing the waves hit the shore while my bare feet feel the soft sand underneath.