In the aftermath of all our country has experienced in the past week, I felt that I was ready to think about peace.  So today, I bring you the World Peace Bell.  It is located in Newport, Kentucky and is one of more than twenty large peace bells located throughout the world.  It was first rung at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2000, and it was said that it could be heard up to 25 miles away.

The bell was first cast at a propeller factory in France.  It then underwent a 1.5 month sea journey, and arrived in port at New Orleans, Louisiana.  The bell was then transported to Newport via the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, stopping at 14 cities along the way.  Presently the bell is rung on special occasions and every day at 11:55 AM (so as not to conflict with the courthouse bell which rings precisely at noon.)

Here’s the stats:

Materials: 80% copper, 20% tin

Diameter: 12 feet

Musical Pitch: A

Yoke: 16,512 pounds (7,490 kg)

Clapper: 6,878 pounds (3,120 kg)

Total Weight: 73,381 lb (33,285 kg)

The inscription reads:

“The World Peace Bell is a Symbol of Freedom and Peace. Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Present and Inspiring Our Future”.

The bell stands as a symbol for much that I am yearning for this week, and incidentally, weighs more than me.

Love,

The Fat Chick

P.S. If you’d like to learn more about making peace with your body, you might wish to consider buying one of my books or a DVD.  And if you go to my website and buy a copy for a friend, you can save $5 off the regular price! Just click HERE and enter the code “peace4_18” in the box!