Peonies are beautiful. They grew along the fence in the house I grew up in. Deep magenta beauties… and a couple whites. Mom would bring them inside, and we would spend time ushering the ants who helped them open back outside. They almost always sat on the table across from the screen door. They smelled so sweet in the yard and in the house.

And I have a great picture from Sweden at my friends’ family home… it was old and so were the peonies. They were so prolific, and so was that scent. We all wore them in our hair.

The first memory is one was built through years. The second is seared in golden sunlight. They both bring pleasure almost as sweet as the scent of the flower that reminds me of childhood Peace.

Peace can be so many different things. We just have to open. What are the scents that lead you to Peace?