The Anatomy of Peace

By the Arbinger Institute

The Arbinger institute is an organization that gives self-improvement and leadership seminars.

I would recommend The Anatomy of Peace to anyone who wants to overcome conflicts between parent and child, husband and wife, employers and employees, even warring nations.

The story is told at a wilderness program for rebellious teens. After dropping off their children, the parents attend a class where they learn to confront their own problems. The wilderness program is run by two men: a Palestinian and an Israeli. Though their nations are enemies, they have learned to overcome enmity and become good friends with a mission of promoting peace.

The book teaches that peace can only be created within oneself. The only one I ultimately have control over, after all, is myself. Being a peacemaker is not just about passively accepting the cruelty of others. Sometimes it is necessary to go to war, sometimes necessary for parents to get tough. The difference is peace within oneself.