Our simple New Year's wish is for peace on the planet

Young boys play peacefully in many parts of the Middle East. Here, Christian, Jewish and Muslim pals mingle.  
Hatred is not part of the DNA.  As the Richard Rodgers song says, "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught."

Middle East photo essay echoes John Lennon's lyric to give peace a chance

A colorful group of Muslim girls poses for Keller in a Cairo mosque.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
  
Ev'rybody's talking about
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.

-- John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance"

Cookie contemplates the beauty
at the historic Western Wall.

IN A YEAR that saw slaughter in Syria and Sudan, terrorist horrors and natural disasters, two prominent peacemakers also made news. Pope Francis entered the international spotlight and Nelson Mandella left us. Men of humility, action and peace.
Paying homage to these two great leaders, we cast our vote with John Lennon for peace on the planet.

Our friend Josh Wickman enjoys the Dead Sea with Keller.

We're postponing our promised paella recipe and New Orleans blogs to ring in 2014 with a plea for understanding through these travel photos.
WE CHOSE them because they augment our belief that humanity's common thread is a longing for peace.  In the past months, we've met, traveled with, dined and danced with Jews and Muslims, 

Baptism in the historic Sea of Galilee brings peace to believers.

atheists and Christians.  We treasure our friends of diverse camps and cultures.
DESPITE THEIR philosophical differences, they share important yearnings:  the desire to live in brotherhood, to build a good and safe life for their children, to provide adequate food and shelter, to have time for personal enrichment -- to read, travel, contemplate, pursue the arts.
WE SALUTE FRIENDS in Cairo and Tel Aviv, Rio and Moscow, Rome, Singapore, Lisbon, Barcelona, Butte. They work hard to enjoy a holiday, visit a museum or aquarium, take in a play, concert, hike or sail. We humans must revive, feed our souls, play the piano, watch a bird, pet a dog, plant a tree.
AS OUR PHOTOS do the talking, we add our humble message: Peace. Peace. Peace. Give peace a chance. Happy, healthy and peaceful 2014!

Here's to a safe, travel filled and peaceful 2014,
as Cookie and Keller salute you from Jerusalem.

COMING UP: Thanks for the encouraging messages about our blogs.  You particularly like the travel, hotel and cruise pointers. We'll pay attention.  If you feel this New Year's photo essay is worthy, please share it with friends, adding your own wish for peace on the planet. 
Next up: our favorite paella recipe, cruising the Canary Islands and New Orleans on New Year's, with jazz and cajun cooking. Remember to explore, learn and live, and check us out Wednesdays and Saturdays at: www.whereiscookie.com