they both attended. That day at school, Irene personally wished each participant good luck with a handshake.
Those students would go back to their schools and to their families and pass the peace on to them. The winner of the county spelling bee would go to the state spelling bee and pass the peace on to the top spellers from all over the state. The winner of the state bee could pass the peace on to the top spellers from around the country, which would take the peace back to their home states with them and start spreading it among friends, family and neighbors.
The top speller would get to shake hands with the President of the United States and that would get a good start of spreading peace through the government.
While Irene was at the spelling bee, David and the rest of the eighth graders were visiting the high school that they would attend the next year. The eighth graders shook hands with as many high school students and teachers as they could. High school students involved in sports would pass the peace on to other schools.
Slowly, over the next few weeks, the peace movement started to spread through the state of Illinois, then the country. Flight attendants passed the peace on to their passengers, especially the international ones, who took the peace back to their own countries. Military passengers, who received the peace, passed it through the military. Prison guards passed it on to the prisoners, and there were no more riots.
Within two months, the peace movement was spreading like wildfire, across the nation and the world.
And, so it came to pass, within three months, the love and peace had been passed on to every man, woman and child on the planet. Then, amazing things started to happen all over the world. Because people cared for each other, and for the world, they began to clean up the environment. Crime became minimal, and slowly, poverty began to disappear.
The threat of war was no longer present on the earth. The nations worked together to feed the hungry; educate the ignorant, and sure diseases. People began to respect each other and hatred and prejudice disappeared.
Muslims, Jews, and Christians peacefully coexisted. Whites, Blacks and all other races, worked side by side to build up, instead of tear down the world. Men and women were treated as equals. Children respected their parents and all adults, as well as themselves. Parents loved their children and were there for them.
Irene had another dream. The garden of wildflowers was more beautiful than ever, with flowers of every color of the rainbow. As she stood among them, she was holding the “Pearl of Peace” in her hands; I glowed brightly, with a warm glow. A voice boomed loudly.
“You have pleased me, my child. The world is the way I intended it to be. You have done well.”
Irene wanted to ask the voice something, but she was hesitant. “Do you have a question for me?” asked the voice. “Don’t be afraid, my child?” “May I ask who you are?” Irene asked. Are you from the future? From another planet?”
There was a moment of silence and then the voice replied, “I am the Father of all mankind, the Creator of this beautiful world.”
When Irene realized that she was in the presence of God, she fell to her knees and praised him. Then she asked, “Why did you choose me to spread the peace throughout the world, God? “Because you are pure of heart and you are a child, uncorrupted by the world.” Then Irene recalled a passage from the bible, “And a child shall lead them.”
Irene was feeling more happy and full of love then she ever had before. “Lord, how may I serve you?” God replied, “Pass this message on to the rest of my children; ‘Now that you have overcome hatred and prejudice, take care of each other with love and respect. Honor my commandments. I leave the world in your hands. Take good care of it.’”
When God had finished, Irene, who was still on her knees, said “Thank you, God!” God told her to stand up and said, “I love you, my child.” As God said that, Irene felt a wave of pure love, pure goodness wash over her entire body, so pure, that she could not describe it in mortal words. She knew that she had received a hug from God.
When Irene woke op, she cried for over an hour. She had been touched by God. She took the “Pearl of Peace” and carefully put it a safe place, so that if the world ever needed it again, she and the “Pearl” would be ready.
The End
The Pearl of Peace Page 3