Peace and Joy Come Only From Within

'Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
- Percy Bysshe Shelley

The works of man do not endure. Ancient Egypt thrived for thousands of years before its civilization was overthrown. America, at less than 300 years, isn't even out of diapers. Security and happiness cannot come from physical things, whether cars, homes, or seemingly indestructible monuments of civilization. Lasting joy can only come from within and from connection with Spirit.

When you find peace within yourself,
you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.
- Peace Pilgrim

It is important to expect nothing,
to take every experience,
including the negative ones,
as merely steps on the path,
and to proceed.
- Ram Dass

Peace comes from within.
Do not seek it without.
- The Buddha

Further reading: Seeds of Faith

Choosing Your Purpose

Being at Peace