peace

THE TRUTH IS THE HARDEST THING TO LOOK AT AND ACCEPT

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When I first wrote this piece during election season, I thought it spoke to a particular moment. But the truth has a way of staying relevant. Looking around today, it feels just as necessary—maybe even more so.

1–2 minutes

THE TRUTH IS THE HARDEST THING TO LOOK AT AND ACCEPT

There was a time in American politics. Back then, slinging mud was considered the lowest, most dishonorable act a candidate would commit. Those who spread lies were branded untrustworthy. Decent people would never cast a vote for them. Back then, communities had a different rhythm. You knew your neighbors. You checked on the widow down the street. You went out of your way to support local businesses because of family ties. Courtesy was second nature. You didn’t blare your horn because someone hesitated at a stop sign. You didn’t sneer at people who looked different from you. When you traveled to another town for a ballgame, you were respectful. You treated their facilities with the same respect you expected for your own.

Politics, too, carried that sense of respect. When someone won an election—whether at the local, state, or national level—it wasn’t the end of the world. It simply meant they had earned the right to represent their community for a set term. Neighbors didn’t conspire to punish one another for “voting the wrong way.” They did not claim elections were fraudulent just because their candidate lost. They accepted the truth, even when it was difficult, because truth was what held the fabric of the community together.

What’s striking is that no one sought to destroy the lives of those who disagreed with them. Debate can be sharp, but it stopped short of hatred. People understood that democracy required trust. It required trust in the process. It required trust in one another. It also required trust that truth—no matter how uncomfortable—would endure. That same truth remains today. Still, it asks something of us. It requires the courage to look it in the eye. We must accept it and live by it.

By Benjamin GroffMedia© | benandsteve.com | 2025 

Building Peace: Steps Toward a Better Tomorrow

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By Benjamin GroffMedia© | benandsteve.com | 2025 Truth Endures©

2–4 minutes

A Plan for Peace: One Step at a Time

I’ve been thinking a lot about peace lately.

Not the peace that lives only in headlines or history books—the grand treaties, the ceasefires, the official proclamations. I’m talking about the peace we build in our daily lives. This peace begins around kitchen tables. It is found in community meetings. It happens in the quiet moments when we choose to listen rather than shout.

What would it take to create a more peaceful world? That question sits heavy on my heart.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I believe peace isn’t something we wait for others to deliver. It’s something we shape, step by step, together. And maybe, just maybe, it starts with a plan. Its not a perfect plan, but it’s a real one. It’s something we can reach for and return to, like a compass in uncertain times.

Step One: Start With Listening

Peace begins with the willingness to hear someone else’s story—especially when it challenges our own. We don’t have to agree on everything, but we do have to care enough to listen.

Imagine what would change if we listened without preparing to argue back. If we asked “What is it like to be you?” and waited long enough for a real answer.

Step Two: Make Room for Justice

There can be no true peace where injustice lives unchecked. That means looking closely at the systems around us—schools, courts, hospitals, policing, housing—and asking, “Who is being left behind? Who is being harmed? And what can we do to fix it?”

Justice isn’t about blame. It’s about repair. Peace doesn’t ask us to forget the past. It asks us to heal from it—together.

Step Three: Practice Kindness Like It’s a Skill

We talk about kindness like it’s something we either have or don’t. But I think it’s more like a muscle. You build it every day—with patience, with humility, and with a little humor when things get hard.

Sometimes, peace looks like biting your tongue. Sometimes, it looks like reaching out. And sometimes, it’s just not walking away.

Step Four: Educate for Empathy

To give the next generation a better shot at peace, we must teach them differently. Not just math and reading—but empathy, conflict resolution, critical thinking, and how to talk across differences without losing our humanity.

We should teach history honestly, too—not just the polished parts, but the painful truths that still echo today. Healing begins with honesty.

Step Five: Be Brave Enough to Hope

Hope can be a radical thing. Especially when the news is bleak and the divisions feel endless. But hope is not weakness. It’s strength disguised as belief. It’s faith in what we can build, even if we haven’t seen it yet.

A plan for peace isn’t a single event. It’s not something we sign and file away. It’s a lifelong effort. It’s showing up, over and over, with open hands and an open heart.

We will never achieve a perfect peace. But if we can bring peace into one more conversation, one more neighborhood, one more generation—then it’s worth everything.

So here’s my plan. It starts with me. It starts with you. And it keeps going—as long as we keep walking ahead, one small, hopeful step at a time.

Maintaining Integrity Amidst Conflict

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GROFF MEDIA 2024© TRUTH ENDURES IMDBPRO

Presented by benandsteve.com By: Benjamin Groff II©s

2–3 minutes

Keeping Your Side of the Street Clean

The smell of fresh rain lingered as Mark walked down Elm Street toward his favorite café. It was his usual morning routine, a quiet moment before the day unraveled. He reached the entrance. Then he saw him—Greg Turner. Greg was leaning against a lamppost, arms crossed. He was watching him with a smirk that dripped with disdain.

Greg had never made it a secret that he disliked Mark. Their history goes back to a business deal gone wrong. Mark handled it ethically, but Greg saw it as a betrayal. Since then, Greg had made it his mission to smear Mark’s name. He spread rumors and whispered doubts into the ears of anyone who would listen.

Mark adjusted his posture, exhaled slowly, and kept walking. He knew better than to engage.

“Hey, Mark,” 

Greg called out loud enough for people at the café’s outdoor tables to turn their heads.

“Still fooling people into thinking you’re the good guy?”

A few customers looked up from their coffee, eyes shifting between them, waiting for a response. Mark felt the moment’s weight pressing against his back, the temptation to defend himself bubbling under the surface.

But he had learned something long ago—some battles weren’t worth fighting. Not in the mud. Not at the expense of his peace.

He turned slightly, just enough to meet Greg’s gaze, and nodded.

“Good morning, Greg.” 

His voice was even, void of malice, but firm. Then, without another word, he stepped inside the café.

The barista, Sarah, greeted him with a warm smile. 

“The usual?”

Mark nodded as he took out his wallet.

“Yep. And maybe an extra shot of patience today.”

Sarah chuckled as she prepared his coffee. 

“Don’t let him get to you.”

He shook his head. 

“I won’t.”

Moments later, as he stirred his coffee, he glanced outside. Greg was still there, now talking to someone else, his hands animated, spinning another version of his tired tale. Mark took a sip, savoring the rich warmth of his drink, and let the moment pass.

There was no need to wade into the mess or wrestle with the bitterness that wasn’t his to carry. His conscience was clear. His integrity was intact.

He walked out of the café with his head high. His side of the street was clean. Mark was guilt-free and ready to face his day. He had not gotten down to Greg’s level; even better, he showed respect for doing so. 

Midnight Drives: A Journey of Freedom and Reflection

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GROFF MEDIA 2024© TRUTH ENDURES IMDBPRO

Presented by benandsteve.com By: Benjamin Groff II©

1–2 minutes

The Open Road at Midnight

For Jake, the best time of his life wasn’t marked by grand achievements or milestones. It wasn’t a wedding, a promotion, or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. It was far more straightforward—something that came in the quiet hours when the rest of the world seemed to sleep.

He lived for those midnight drives. The highways stretched out before him like ribbons of endless possibility, empty and open beneath the glow of streetlights. There was something sacred in those moments. He would roll the windows down and let the wind rush in. It carried away the day’s weight. The music was always loud—classic rock, country, sometimes blues—whatever fit the night’s mood.

With no destination in mind, Jake would drive. Sometimes, it was the backroads, where the stars shone brighter than the city’s glow. Other times, it was the interstate. The hum of his tires and the engine rhythm became part of the melody.

Those drives were freedom and escape. There were also the rare moments when Jake’s thoughts never became tangled in the past or anxious for the future. He wasn’t Jake, the overworked employee, or the guy who never quite figured things out. He was just a man, a car, the night, and the music.

One night, he pulled onto a deserted stretch of highway. The wind whipped through his hair. Tom Petty’s Runnin’ Down a Dream poured from the speakers. He pressed the gas just a little harder. He felt the weightlessness of it all. He experienced a unique peace. No one was around to remind him of the world’s expectations.

He wished he had bottled that feeling—the weightlessness and possibility. The night seemed to whisper that everything would be okay, even if it wasn’t.

But maybe that was the beauty of it. It wasn’t meant to last forever—just long enough to remind Jake of what it felt like to be alive.

Moving Forward: Finding Stability in a Changing World

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Groff Media 2024© Truth Endures IMDbPro

Presented by benandsteve.com By: Benjamin Groff II©

As the sun rises on another day, many Americans face questions about navigating a future that feels uncertain and, at times, challenging. With new policies, social shifts, and changes in government practices, it’s natural to wonder: How can we make peace with what tomorrow might bring?

Embracing Life as It Is

The journey forward begins by accepting life as it is. This acceptance isn’t about resigning ourselves to every challenge but acknowledging what is beyond our control. By shifting our focus inward, we can cultivate a balanced and manageable life, regardless of external circumstances.

This approach involves creating a routine—a set of daily habits and practices that we control and are structured to ensure Stability. When we establish a routine that aligns with our values and goals, we take ownership of our lives, making our days feel fulfilling and predictable, even when the world around us may feel anything but. This sense of control and predictability can empower us to face the uncertainties of the future with confidence.

Designing a Routine that Works for you. Focusing on what matters most to us individually will be essential to develop this routine. By centering our lives around personal choices and needs, we shape a daily rhythm whose influences aren’t getting pushed by the ever-shifting demands of society or government policies. Here are vital aspects to consider:

  1. Personal Autonomy: Build a day-to-day lifestyle that allows for independence. This involves selecting tasks, schedules, and activities that feel true to who you are and are within your control.
  2. Stability Through Simplicity: Keep routines simple and consistent. External events can derail complex plans; simplicity provides a foundation for adaptability and peace of mind.
  3. Harmony with Society: While focusing on our lives, aligning our activities with society’s laws and norms is essential. By following guidelines and remaining respectful of others, we minimize the risk of disruption and interference.

Living Without Unnecessary Interference

By developing a sustainable, uncontroversial, and law-abiding routine, we create space for ourselves to live relatively unaffected by the broader tides of political or social change. This sense of security and peace of mind allows us to focus on our personal growth and well-being, even in the face of external uncertainties.

Moving Forward Together

Ultimately, as individuals adopt this mindset, communities also benefit. When people find Stability within themselves, they become pillars of support to others, fostering collective resilience. In times of uncertainty, this shared calm, mutual respect, and individual responsibility can carry Americans forward together, one day at a time. This sense of community and shared responsibility can provide a strong support system in times of uncertainty.

In this approach, tomorrow’s challenges become more manageable, and with a foundation of self-guided routine, we discover that moving forward is not only possible but peaceful.

The Prayer For Peace Finally Answered!

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A Story By: Benjamin Groff© Groff Media 2024© Truth Endures

An older man, who had prayed for peace since he was a young child, lived a life of selflessness. His mother’s words, that God would answer his prayer if he kept his life clean of sin and did what was best for others, became his guiding principle. He never put himself first, always putting the lives of others before his own needs.

So, the older man went without when he could have lived a comfortable life. He gave to others and kept a solitary life when he could have had a home filled with love and a family. The city he lived in had the highest crime rates in the world, and the country in which the older man lived was worn in battles between battles with other nations and individual groups. He was a victim of crime repeatedly when he could have had protection provided.

The man became wealthy without trying, thanks to inheritances from family and friends and business interactions he had made without intending to see a return. When he turned 80, he prayed one night, asking why God hadn’t answered his prayer.

The older man’s prayer echoed through the quiet of his small, humble home. He sat at the edge of his bed, his hands clasped tightly together, his heart heavy with years of unanswered longing. The world outside his window was no different than it had been decades ago—still filled with strife, suffering, and humankind’s relentless cruelty.

A deep voice resonated as he closed his eyes, seeking the peace he had always desired. It wasn’t a voice he heard with his ears but one that spoke directly to his soul.

“My son,”

The voice began, calm and compassionate.

“My son, you have lived a life of unwavering faith, sacrifice, and selflessness. But true peace is not the absence of conflict in the world around you. It is the serenity within your heart, the understanding that you have done all you can for others, and the acceptance that the world’s burdens do not solely rest upon your shoulders.”

The man’s breath caught as the realization began to dawn on him.

“Peace is not something one gets as a reward for their deeds,”

the voice continued,

“but something that grows within you, cultivated by your actions, thoughts, and love. You have touched countless lives, offered solace to those in need, and lived your life according to the highest ideals. The peace you seek has been with you all along, not in the world outside, but within the purity of your heart and the love you have shown others.”

Tears welled in the older man’s eyes as he understood. He had spent his life searching for peace in the world while nurturing it within himself. The crimes, wars, and suffering were not his to control.

His prayer had been answered most profoundly: by giving him the strength to endure, the compassion to love, and the wisdom to understand that peace is not an external gift but an internal state of grace.


As the older man lay back on his bed, a warm, gentle calm washed over him. He closed his eyes, not in despair but in contentment. For the first time in his life, he felt at peace—not because the world had changed, but because he had finally understood the true nature of his prayer.

And with that peace, he drifted into a restful sleep, his heart light, his soul fulfilled, and his spirit finally at ease.