Remember

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War.  A war in which approximately 68,000 Canadians were killed in action and 173,000 more wounded, many of whom never fully recovered. 

For those of us who do not live in a war-torn country, it is all too simple to forget, to gloss over the unimaginable horror.  Equally simplistic though, is the temptation to assuage our temporary discomfort with a few blanket statements condemning war and all those who engage in it... to pretend that armed conflict belongs to an evil "other", a sort of faceless entity separate from ourselves. 

The problem with this dualistic thinking is that it ignores the personal, human origins of war: intolerance, ignorance, fear, selfishness, xenophobia.  These are things we all can work on in our own lives, our families, our communities.  We can work on our conflict resolution skills, we can cultivate compassion, suspend judgement, seek deeper understanding of people and actions that repulse or offend us.  In so doing, we will discover the means and motivation to work for justice, free the oppressed,  reach out to the isolated, and create safe and peaceful communities. 

It begins at home - in the tone of voice we use with our children and spouse, our anger with the slowpoke in the lane ahead of us, the assumptions we make about the bully at school, the stereotypes and predjudices we allow to dwell, unexamined, in our subconscious, the choices we make as consumers... it goes on and on.

War begins with us - we are none of us exempt from responsibility, none of us powerless to create peace.

Remember.

Comments

[moiraeknittoo]

An excellent post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[Elizabeth]

Yes yes yes.

[Maureen]

Thank you for a very thought provoking post.

[Lynn in Tucson]

There have been many questions from my six-year-old today on this very subject. And, having just returned from a visit to Washington, D.C. and both the WW II and the Vietnam Memorials, the topic's been nearer to the front of my mind as well. Thank you.

[Theo]

Wonderful words to breathe in every day! Thanks.

[Ros]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts in such an eloquent way. And you are so right. if we want things to change, we have to start with ourselves. In that way, we can affect those round us and out go the ripples.

[Judy G.]

Thank you for this post.

[Anthea]

Beautifully said, Ruth. Thank you.

[mel]

Thank you for this beautifully written reminder. How very true.