Seven Peace Pilgrim Quotes on Problems, Worry, Fear

On problems, worry, and fear:

Peace Pilgrim was a remarkable woman who walked across America many times spreading a message of peace, beginning during the Korean War in 1953 and ending with her death in 1981. She vowed to keep walking until there was peace in the world, and she walked more than 25,000 miles before she stopped counting.

Photo courtesy of Friends of Peace Pilgrim
Photo courtesy of Friends of Peace Pilgrim

After her death, Peace Pilgrim’s friends compiled her writings and interviews into a book called Peace Pilgrim – Her Life and Work in Her Own Words. My copy of the book contains hundreds of underlined inspirational quotes, so I decided to pull some of them and curate them into lists that relate to our everyday lives.

Peace Pilgrim didn’t spend much time worrying. She decided to walk until given shelter and fast until given food. She didn’t worry about where her next meal came from. She often slept on the side of the road and never feared for her safety. This post contains seven quotes that relate to problems, worry, and fear.

  1. It is through solving problems in accordance with the highest light we have that inner growth is attained (9).
  2. When we can say, ‘Thank God for problems which are sent for our spiritual growth,’ they are problems no longer. They then become opportunities (60).
  3. Every experience is what you make it and it serves a purpose. It might inspire you, it might educate you, or it might come to give you a chance to be of service in some way (34).
  4. Worry is not concern, which would motivate you to do everything possible in a situation. Worry is a useless mulling over of things we cannot change (20).
  5. Naturally, the negative approach has a detrimental effect on the person who uses it, while the positive approach has a good effect (132).
  6. Those who witness for, present solutions. Those who witness against, usually do not—they dwell on what is wrong, resorting to judgment and criticism and sometimes even name-calling (131).
  7. Almost all fear is fear of the unknown. Therefore, what’s the remedy? To become acquainted with the thing you fear (66).

Update: I can’t believe I didn’t underline this gem:

There’s the whole matter of having a meaningful attitude toward the problems that life may set before you. If only you could see the whole picture, if you knew the whole story, you would realize that no problem ever comes to you that does not have a purpose in your life, that cannot contribute to your inner growth. When you perceive this, you will recognize that problems are opportunities in disguise. If you did not face problems, you would just drift through life.

Photo courtesy of Friends of Peace Pilgrim
Photo courtesy of Friends of Peace Pilgrim

Peace Pilgrim’s friends believed that to charge money for a book would be at odds with her core values and decided to offer it for free. They receive enough money in donations to publish and fulfill every request. You can order copies and other materials for free directly from Friends of Peace Pilgrim.

More Peace Pilgrim Posts and Quotations by Subject

Seven Things to Know About Peace Pilgrim

“THIS IS THE WAY OF PEACE:

OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD, 

FALSEHOOD WITH TRUTH, 

AND HATRED WITH LOVE.”

–PEACE PILGRIM

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2 Comments on “Seven Peace Pilgrim Quotes on Problems, Worry, Fear

  1. What a woman. She did something I could never do. We need 100 lives in order to challenge ourselves and do what we think we would love and would be important. I am a worse case scenario girl. If I can see the worst thing that could happen, and I can handle that, than I am good! Always been a huge worrier. “What if” turned into “worse case” and I’m now usually at peace.

    • That’s really interesting, Karen. I think most of my worries take me to the worst-case scenario that is unbearable and I live in fear of it actually happening. Peace Pilgrim has helped me look at situations differently. Take care.

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