Unflappable inner peace.
That is such a wonderfully descriptive phrase.
I have known some people who have found internal peace. They exude an inner calm even in the most trying circumstances.
They are fully present with everyone — gentle and accepting of themselves and others. They are slow to anger.
I often think about Atticus Finch in my favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird. He is a role model of inner peace.
There’s a scene in which Atticus, the small town attorney defending a falsely accused black man, encounters Bob Ewell, the low-life white farmer who is the accuser.
A drunk Ewell calls Atticus a stream of filthy names and then spits in his face. With spittle covering his glasses, Atticus doesn’t say a word but reaches for something in his pocket while staring at Bob Ewell.
Ewell flinches thinking Atticus is going to hit him, but instead…
Atticus pulls out a handkerchief and calmly wipes his face and glasses, then walks away. Few people could maintain that state of equanimity in such a situation. (He is a book character after all.)
What I love about Atticus Finch is that he knows who he is and has inner peace with that. He doesn’t have to prove himself by indulging in anger or retribution.
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