WHEN catastrophes in the world occur, it makes us realise how lucky we are.

The everyday annoyances that seem huge just melt away in insignificance.

With the siege in Sydney occurring, the horrors of radical thinking is now threatening the safety and calmness of our society here in Australia.

How lucky are we in Australia to be blessed with peace and tranquillity for 99.9% of the time while, in other parts of the world, this event would have only been a fleeting moment and forgotten as bigger catastrophes dominated their lives?

Just like after 9/11, it is important to pull together and focus on the outcomes we all want, and work with every segment of society to achieve that preferred outcome.

A very small number of people can create fear and mayhem - but only if we all let them.

It took only a few individuals in Northern Ireland, on both sides, to cause ongoing atrocities for decades; but the wider community's desire for peace stopped the violence. The power is in our hands to actively choose peace, acceptance and avoid judgment and intolerance.

The problem is a small minority of misguided individuals trying to move our society away from the common good. Do not blame any country of origin, religion, skin colour, sexual preference or gender as you will become as bad as them.

At the end of the day, as a community, we should work together to create a wonderful future, eradicating negativity, and be able to peacefully exercise our spiritual beliefs. How each of us achieves spiritual enlightenment is up to each one of us and is nobody else's business.

After all, when we meet our Maker, the truth will be clear. Good luck with your choices.

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OPINION: The power is in our hands to actively choose peace