There has been so much talk lately of peace. The world is not an easy place right now, and I see difficulties all around, from the level of geographical turmoil to communities in chaos, to quieter, more internal distress. And I see friends, well-intentioned and hard-working people, left bereft of direction, unsure of what to do in the face of it all.

We are all part of something. Family, tribe, online and in person, we have those we love and who love us in turn. We try to reach out, to help where we can, but it can be very difficult, as the connections become loose. Understanding can be lost as beliefs differ, opinions clash, cultures seem confusing. There is never just one side to a story.

I often say that I do my best, because that's all I (or any of us) can do. And I mean it, even if some days, my best doesn't seem like very much at all! But as a Druid and a Pagan, I feel the connection with those around - both human and non-human. My hilltop home, but also the pull of the lands of my childhood (varied though they were) and welcoming places that I've visited, both across the UK and overseas. So many lives, so many stories. How many do we touch, as we walk our paths? What effect do we have on the tides of this world?

The Druid Network recently performed a Ritual for Peace. Open to anyone, many hundreds took part. I know of quite a few, doing what they could: from groups in wide open spaces to quiet time taken in an office at work. All spoke of the clear connection they felt at that moment, reaching out simultaneously with shared intention. Friends and strangers, heart to heart, hand to hand.

We might not be able to physically help those in need - but we do our best. We reach out, whether by signing petitions, making protest or contacting those whose voices are heard at a higher level. We are one voice, coming together as many to be heard, sharing song and story, standing in our place and reaching out. No matter what we call ourselves, we call to the tribe of our blood, our species, our planet.

And then we return to our lives. These might seem chaotic at times, but that connection remains. We seek the peace within, so that we can share it without. We hold on to what's true in ourselves, what's important outside... from that, we can set our course and move forward.

Even when the storm clouds gather overhead, we can walk in peace. There lies the power, the responsibility, to make change and add to the wider tale just by telling our own.

A storm gathers at sunset on the hilltop - Derbyshire, UK