“The Soldier above all others prays for peace,
for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear
the deepest wounds and scars of war”.
Douglas MacArthur
We all face our own individual battles and wage our own wars. We have our own scars and injuries, but we are not equal, and some of us, struggle more than others.
Some wounds are easy and others seem to never heal. They become deeply rooted. They fester and bleed. They are stubborn and refuse to scab over. But regardless of who we are, and where we find ourselves, deep down, we are all the same. Like the soldier, we all pray for a long-lasting peace.
Peace at last.
We pray for happiness, health, and fulfillment, but most of all, we pray unceasingly that at the end of our life, no matter what, we will look back, and behold a life that truly mattered.
Mattered to someone. Mattered, even if the world didn’t notice or care.
We pray we have made the world better, perhaps a little prettier, and definitely a little bit less lonesome.
If you don’t pray for peace, you probably believe that you are better than no one and that no one is better than you. But as Bob Dylan so beautifully wrote, if you truly believe that, then you have nothing to gain and truly, nothing to lose.
A soldier bears the brunt of the pain, because of the decisions so easily made in a comfortable room, by impulsive elected officials.
You too bear the brunt of the pain of your upbringing. Depending on who you are, like a soldier, you bear the pain and pressure of the spurns of time.
Don’t be afraid.
All wounds heal. All storms subside. They all dissipate into an unforgettable sunrise. The scars you bear don’t define you. They only remind you of where you have been. How valiantly you have fought. How much you have overcome. What an unshakable character you’ve developed.
How resilient you are. How magnificent you’ve become.
Today is November 11th.
Let us honour the soldiers.
Pray for peace
Fight for peace.
Stand still, amidst the chaos, and be at peace.
One day.
Just over the horizon.
You will see that it was all worth it.
There is no light without sacrifice.
A candle cannot light up the world, without burning the wax.
