Beth's Ponderings
Last week was Remembrance Day, and at some point, those gathered uttered the words, “We will remember…”
It is important, very important, to remember the individuals who participated in past conflicts, and those who are currently participating. Some came home, some did not. Most who did return were irrevocably changed by the experience.
We should also remember those on the home-front as their participation was just as important - if not more so - for keeping the morale of the soldiers up, reminding them of why they were doing what they were doing, and giving them a reason to keep going and not give up. And it was those left behind who ended up picking up the various broken pieces of life.
It is important to remember, but what exactly are we remembering?
World War I was “the war to end all wars,” and everyone said, “never again.” Then what happened?
A mere 21 years later World War II broke out, and was worse than the “Great War.” That was followed by the Korean War, and later, the Vietnam War, and more currently, Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. And those are by no means the only wars that have ever been fought.
Lest we forget...but we HAVE forgotten.
Every war, or conflict, in the entire history of humankind, while it may have been justified as being fought for outstanding reasons, and led to a resolution of sorts, merely highlighted the unbearable losses (which ALWAYS outnumber any gains), and ultimately, the sheer futility of the conflict. Our war “to end all wars” failed to prevent another one.
Because of our “remembering,” we think peace comes by bullying someone to agree with us, or do it our way. It doesn’t.
We think that peace results when we are all the same; thinking, believing, and doing the same things. It doesn’t.
We think peace will appear when we steal the land, resources, or dignity of others. It won’t.
We think peace will come if people suffer long enough. It won’t.
We think the way to peace is armed conflict against another. It isn’t.
Beth
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