Peace

Peace is something that most of us living in the world today take for granted, simply because the last major war which affected most people around the globe in some way or another - WW2 - happened over 70 years ago. Most people alive today were not even born then, so have only experienced the horrors of large scale war through the accounts of others, plus archival footage of the time; films and literature also give an idea of events, though they are sometimes skewed due to ideological lapses or to achieve entertainment value.

Today war is something that happens mostly elsewhere and is seen and analysed on television. The destroyed buildings and maimed bodies are tragic, to be sure, and we are temporarily very moved, but they involve others; after the shock of watching we can have another drink, bemoan the state of things around the world, and retire safe to our bed for a night's sleep. We can do that because the majority of the world, and certainly Western Europe, are enjoying a long period of peace and, with it, prosperity.

What is peace? Is it simply the absence of war, of hostilities? Or is it more than that, no hostilities but also lack of menace, disappearance of threat? And why would anyone in their right mind want to shatter that and introduce death, uncertainty, misery and suffering?

Now that travelling the world is easy and quick, many of us get a chance to visit far away places. Do we look at them and think that they could be improved if only a little death and destruction were introduced into their daily life? Do we dream of 'making the world better' by killing a large part of the incumbent population? Or do we want these strangers, these foreigners, to remain at peace so that we can share a little of what they enjoy, being welcome visitors rather than hated invaders?

I know what I like: this absence of threat, this lack of fighting, this peace. It has nothing to do with a fear of dying. Rather, it is about the enjoyment of living, of humanity, the seeking to understand others, the valuing of laughter over snarling; peace to me is about the hope that tomorrow may also be good, that we may also smile then, that day will follow night, that children will be allowed to play, laugh and grow up, and that love and mutual respect will flourish.

In my previous piece I mentioned the reasons for war, with financial being championed by many, and they can certainly undermine the very existence of peace. Action (the existence of war and violence) may seem to some more tangible and productive/attractive than the inaction of peace, which may seem uncommitted, vapid, unfocused; this is an illusion. The seeming inaction of peace requires true vision, commitment and effort, just as love between individuals is effortful. Both are, ultimately, truly rewarding.