It is Friday. Prepare to fly the Weekend Flags. Relax, take it easy and be at peace from the workday week.

What is peace?

The word “peace” derives from the Latin pacem or pax, which means a treaty of non-aggression, a time of tranquility and the absence of war. Peace is a state of relative calm, during which war and hostilities have ceased and people can carry on their day-to-day business activities and enjoy family life without the interruption of large scale fighting.

Perhaps the best example of such a quiet time is the Pax Romana, a period of 207 years from 27 BC to 180 AD, from Caesar Augustus to Marcus Aurelius (I love the portrayal of Marcus Aurelius by Richard Harris in the movie Gladiator). The Legions of Rome had extended the empire to almost its greatest extent. Swords in hands, these leather-garbed soldiers patrolled and controlled the borders. Back home, the more aggressive generals were held in check by more enlightened Caesars and a more balanced political and administrative organization. Throughout the Empire, Roman Law brought a consistency and resolution to internal disputes that remains with us even today. Things weren’t perfect, but civil disorder and open warfare were minimized and relatively contained. It was a state of peace.

Peace can also be more personal and individual in expression. Throughout time, people have greeted each other with versions of the Roman Pax and the Hebrew Shalom. This greeting of peace is a wish for well-being. Safety, welfare and prosperity to you and yours. Or, the one I like from growing up: May you be healthy, wealthy and wise. These are greetings of peace.

Have you ever noticed that when people greet each other with “How are you?,” the typical response is something like “Good,” “Fine” or “Doing great, how are you?’ You almost never hear an “I’m lousy, how about you?” response. That’s because when we say “How are you?” and we respond “Good” what we are really saying are “I wish you well” and “You too.” Our cultural convention is to use the words “How are you?” and “Good” but the greeting and response mean “Pax, Shalom, I wish you well.”

To summarize, peace is both a state of being and a wish for well-being.

May peace be with you and yours today and all days,

Grandpa Jim