Today I am filled with more sadness and grief than I have been during most of the pandemic. Russia’s war on the Ukraine is unconscionable, and worse. There is no excuse, it is just a ruthless bully trying to violently acquire more power without regard to the welfare of anyone! Putin couldn’t care less how this will affect his own country, the Ukrainian people, Europe or the world. Or perhaps it’s possible that he wants to trigger another world war?

When Will We Live in Peace?

I’ve been crying for two days. I guess this situation triggers all my childhood trauma. I grew up surrounded by memories of war and ongoing wars. The ancient history I learned in school was full of war. The modern history I learned from family and movies was full of the “Great Wars”. I grew up during the Vietnam war era with constant TV news coverage of the brutality. The Cuban missel crisis was on my back doorstep, we practiced air raid and bomb drills at school. Then there was the cold war and the ever-surrounding expansion of Soviet influence in South and Central America. (I lived in South Florida)

The tug-of-wars between powers continued into my adulthood. When the Soviet Union toppled, and the Berlin Wall came down this was a great advancement for humankind. But in the background other wars were festering. The Middle East became the next hot Zone. My own children had to experience the trauma of watching the live feed of the World Trade center collapsing while they were in school. When will human beings learn to live in peace?

It Makes No Sense!

There are so many better ways to work toward what we want as human beings than resorting to mass bloodshed. As a young person I could never understand why history was full of wars, not to mention why they were still going on. It’s insanity, pure madness!

Surely there is proof that humans can negotiate, cooperate and work things out in mutually beneficial ways. No country is perfect in its system or it’s politics, but many countries have achieved decent societies that allow their citizens to live peacefully and develop meaningful lives with some degree of prosperity. It can all be improved upon of course. But war is not an improvement.

What Will It Take To Make It Stop?

My whole adult life I’ve been involved in peace efforts on some level. This is a battle I’m willing to fight, not with physical force and destruction, but through education, relationship building, and spiritual practices. Peace can only come when we honor one another as equally valuable people, deserving of freedom of choice and conscience. When we stop seeking power at the expense of others, stop seeking to overthrow and undermine others to get what we want, we will then find what we really want – which is not money and power – but peaceful loving relationships.

I have seen great advancements in consciousness during the 65 years of my life. There is no doubt in my mind that the world has come a long way since I was a child. But this week my heart breaks to witness this setback, Putin’s attack on the Ukraine and it’s worldwide implications. I can only pray for the strength and safety of the Ukrainian people and the solidarity and support of the NATO countries. And I pray that the public outcry and private prayers of all peace-loving people can create an intervention that will stop this madness of war.