Sunday, July 23, 2017

Are Global and Personal Peace Possible?

Those of you who have visited this blog and left comments on the past two “peace” postings have written about at least two kinds of peace: global and individual. Anyone who has lived more than seventy years has known the lack of global peace.

In 1950, the United States, as part of the UN forces, entered the Korean War. Daily, the newspapers and fledging television programs brought us news of what was happening on that far-off peninsula. Pusan, Inchon, Yalu River, the Chosin Reservoir and its bitter winter, Seoul, stalemate, armistice, police action became part of our vocabulary.
 
For three years the battle raged north and south of the 38th parallel. At one point, the militia of the UN got close to Korea’s border with China. A massive number of Chinese soldiers repulsed them. Because MacArthur wanted to invade China, President Truman, commander-in-chief, relieved him of his duties. This caused an uproar in the United States. My father had no liking for MacArthur after his actions in World War II in which, according to my dad, “the general was interested only in the limelight.” So Dad applauded President Truman’s actions. Many didn’t.

On July 27, 1953, an armistice was signed. Tomorrow—Monday—will be the 64th anniversary of that signing. Officially, that armistice left North and South Korea still at war. Many American newspapers maligned President Truman for conducting a “police action” and not fighting until the United Nations won. According to Wikipedia, “recent scholarship puts the full battle death toll on all sides at just over 1.2 million.”

In college, I met a young man who’d fought in Korea. Like most soldiers, he didn’t talk about his experiences, especially at Chosin. However, everyone who met him during those college years noted a maturity beyond his age.

Since that war, our newspapers and television stations have taken us to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. A college friend wrote a poignant poem about that and about the Oneness we all share. Of course, we then had the years of war in Vietnam. After Vietnam we had the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia and the holocaust there.

Then we had El Salvador and Nicaragua. My poetry-writing friend went to Nicaragua to help those driven from their homes. I feared for her during those months because in El Salvador four social activists from the United States had been murdered as well as Bishop Óscar Romero. Thankfully, my friend came home safe and rededicated herself to peace and non-violent protest.

Between then and now, wars have acquainted us with countries many of us couldn’t find on the map or visualize. Israel, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen, Libya, Syria. And more. So many more.

So the question arises: Is there ever any possibility of peace? One of the slogans of World War II was—“The War to End All Wars.” Instead of that happening, the trenches of 1914-1918 led to World War II. Soon—on August 4, we will “celebrate” the 103rd anniversary of Britain’s entry into War World I.

Is there no possibility of peace? Ever since World War II, which the United States entered when I was in kindergarten and could read headlines, I have read a great deal about war because I’ve wanted to know “Why?” Why do we take one another’s lives? Why do we send the youth of our countries to fight?

So next week, I hope to share a final posting about my discovery—yours, too, I suspect—about peace starting with one. With me. With you. It is that Oneness that speaks to me of possible peace—perhaps only within ourselves. But if one of us can change, perhaps all of us can. Could that be? Could it? 

Peace.

20 comments:

  1. I saw a meme that said, "If women ruled the world, there would be no wars--just a bunch of countries not talking to each other." There may be more truth to that than we realize!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Fishducky, I like the memo but I wonder if women not talking to one another might lead to men getting stressed out because, as they say, "we just don't understand women!" and then they'd start a war to get the women to talk. Strange ways. Peace.

      Delete
  2. I believe that global peace can ONLY start wtih personal peace. On the world stage I am completely insignifican. A tiny drop of water. But perhaps, just perhaps, if enough of us commit to individual peace those tiny drops will become an ocean which consumes the world...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Sue, I've never read anything that said better than you have the connection between personal and global peace. I so hope you will give me permission to quote you in my next peace posting. Thank you. Peace.

      Delete
  3. Like Sue, I see tiny drops of peace. But, not in my lifetime. My childrens? My grandchildren...?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Joanne, not in our lifetimes for sure. I wonder if in any lifetimes. As a race, we humans seem to be dedicated to finding differences, not similarities. And thus we go to war. Peace.

      Delete
  4. I too will never see world peace, but I can make a difference in my own life with those I see every day. I'm so glad to see you back here in the virtual world, Dee. Sending you lots of love. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear DJan, I'm glad to be back in the virtual world also! Like you, I believe we can make a difference by embracing justice and mercy, compassion and kindness. That is to say--peace.

      Delete
  5. It seems so naive now to consider that people actually thought World War I would end all war. As long as there is greed and hunger for power, there will be war. And now it seems like war is just a part of life. Such a tragedy for those who must live with the ravages of war in their homelands.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Karen, given the nationalistic temper of that time, I, like you, also wonder at such simplistic thought. It does seem as if there is war everywhere. Nation fighting nation; tribe fighting tribe; one group different from another--them, not us--and so fighting. And the children caught in the midst. Peace.

      Delete
  6. I believe the world is made of energy. The only way to actually spread that energy of peace, love and compassion is to BE peace, love and compassion. If you are filled with fear, doubt, anger (even if "justified") THAT is what you are spreading out into the world. But if you become--even for one minute a day--the pure energy of peace, love and compassion then you are contributing that to the world. There is nothing stronger or more powerful. Why is it so hard for us to believe that? We matter. Our love matters. :) :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Rita, I don't know why it's so hard for us to believe what you've said. I absolutely believe it: that out of me flows peace or discord and that energy infiltrates or blesses the world. Peace.

      Delete
  7. Sadly I don't think we will ever have global peace unless we have a common enemy that will make bonding together necessary for survival and differences inconsequential.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Patti, we had a common enemy in WWII and our nation mostly came together. But always there seems to be them and us and we can't abide that. We define ourselves as not them. We seem to need a foil. That comes, I think, from some dark place within each of us. And we must work to bring light to that darkness. Then our peace can enfold others. Peace.

      Delete
  8. Your post made me realize how much my life has been affected by the wars during my lifetime. I was born after WWII but it had deeply affected my family and thus my early years. Next it was the Cold War and I was terrified by threat of nuclear war. I was sure the Russians were going to invade and had terrible nightmares about them bursting into my bedroom or my school brandishing machine guns. We had a fallout shelter in the basement and drills at school where we crouched under the desk with a book on our heads, as well as movies about what to do in case you were contaminated with nuclear fallout. Then when I was in high school it was the Vietnam War and older brothers of my friends coming home crazy and addicted. Finally in college l found my tribe -- the peace marchers, the social justice advocates, the war protesters. Now I guess I no longer think world peace is possible because I've seen us moving further and further away from it every year of my life.
    I'm really looking forward to your next post on personal peace. My own quest for peace seems to have shrunk to peace within myself and my family. I no longer see that I can have much influence beyond that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Cynthia, I think that your being at peace within yourself and blessing others with this peace is the beginning of a great influence.

      For me, there were the fallout shelters and the fear just as you describe. But I was more fearful of the Chinese Communists and their putting bamboo reeds under my fingernails and pressing them in. I knew I'd betray my faith and my country to forestall that pain. And I felt so guilty at this realization. Peace.

      Delete
  9. Latvia has always been in the middle of a warzone. During both wars USSR and Germany wanted to rule in our land. My country's history is quite sad yet amazig to see what we've been through and what we've accomplished. But even now once in a while some threats of a World War 3 arises and Im not gonna lie - it's scary to be this close to Russia. Because of everything it's done to us in the past, we still don't really feel 100% safe and at peace. Power is a scary thing. It makes people crazy...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Baiba, thank you for this comment. I've never truly realized what life for you must be and must have been in Latvia as you are so close to Russia. I can see so clearly from what you've said that you truly never would feel 100 percent safe. I so agree with you that the thirst for power make people go crazy and destroy/hurt everyone in their path. Peace.

      Delete
  10. Wars seem to come one after another there is always someone fighting someone else some place in the world and that is sad

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jo-Anne, yes, the reality is both sad and tragic. For myself I've come to know that I can't do much for the world, but I can so something--I can share the peace I find within myself. I know you do that also. Peace.

      Delete