Girl Pow-R’s “So New” pushes beyond the complexities of relationships and urges to give peace a chance. “Give Peace a Chance” is an anti-war song by the beloved John Lennon about how peace could be and is a solution to international conflicts. Though Girl Pow-R does not directly evoke the anti-war anthem (which you can read more about in this NPR article), its lyrics teach its audience to strive to be kind in any situation. Such kindness and the willingness for everyone to benefit can alleviate any condition.
There needs to be a collective movement to give peace a chance, but for that one person has to start the campaign. To be this one person is the hard part, but we must be the change we want to see. As “So New” sings, “… we’re looking for something new,” “… we’re waiting to feel brand new.” There needs to be a conscious change in the way we each interact with one another. “So New” looks at rewriting the narrative of separation. What’s stopping you from doing the same thing elsewhere?
Luckily, present generations do not have to deal with wars like the Vietnam War, but they can learn from them. To give peace a chance, one does not have to excuse the actions of an aggressor completely. It requires one to step back and understand the situation before speaking about it. We can choose whether to respond or react to a concern; it is easier to react. In many cases one can make a quick, uninformed and not well-thought rebuttal that typically worsens the situation.
Now, if you give yourself a chance to respond, you can mitigate the situation. To respond to something, you need to assess your surroundings and think of the most appropriate solution that represents your ideals but does not offend others. The critical difference between reacting and responding is that the former is full of unchecked emotion, while the latter is informed conviction. Responding to a situation places you as a trusted mediator; the situation betters, and you can gain a new ally. It is an easy, yet rare way to give peace a chance.
Psychology Today differentiates between responding and reacting and provides some good examples. Now I know you are not John Lennon, the President of a country or some political ambassador. But in your little communities, whether at a restaurant, school or a business meeting, you can choose whether to react or respond to people and whether you will give peace a chance.
The proverb “Manners maketh man” tells us our actions and decisions represent us, not our circumstances. It is one’s active choice to give peace a chance and not let the opportunity to mitigate a situation escape us. There will be times where we will need to be resistant, defensive or on the offence. But we must always strive to give peace a chance. We must aim to help others and push for justice when applicable. As written earlier, there needs to be a collective movement to give peace a chance, but there has to be one person willing to initiate and spread the message.
If you want to learn about compassion and fostering empathy in different spaces, then you need to sign up for the Girl Pow-R training program to meet outstanding, caring and amazing people to join you on your journey. Girl Pow-R teaches its listeners about different causes, big or small. Contact info(at)girlpow-r.com to get involved with future leaders of change and art. Visit the website Girl Pow-R and make sure to listen to their latest music and lyric videos on YouTube (and subscribe to Girl Pow-R for more entertainment), and listen to and share their music on Spotify.