While here, I have learned a lot more about the conflict. Let's be honest, it took coming here to learn about the conflict. I had never understood it, and still don't, but I feel like I've begun to at least tap into what it all means.
One of the above pictures is of the shields the soldiers use at the Western Wall to protect themselves whenever there's a riot. A picture I'm sure my mom is thrilled to see. The other picture is of some Muslim women at the Mediterranean Sea. One picture depicts the violence that is an all too often occurrence in this area of the world. The other picture shows the joy and liberation Muslim women feel from lifting their burka's and letting their feet and ankles feel the sensations and elements of the ocean. What a contrast.
Words can't express the hate these people have towards one another. Palestinian cab drivers in West Jerusalem hate the Jews. The Palestinians are seen as people the Jews have to "control" by implementing check points they must cross to travel anywhere. In the end, I prefer the upper picture.
As hard as it is for one another to believe, both have lives. Both have husbands, wives, jobs, worries, doubts, insecurities, faults, senses of humor, etc. Maybe when we dislike people we should remember this too. But more importantly, we should remember why it's important to be kind to all around us. It's the essential and first lesson we were taught in primary. You know the answer, it's cliche and molly mormon, but its message is so simple, profound, and one of my favorites. It's that we are all children of our Heavenly Father, who loves us.
He knows each one of us, our faults, our family lives, our struggles, our hopes, our dreams, our concerns, our feelings towards other people be they good or bad, and so much more. A Father in Heaven who knows each one of the soldiers that stands behind those shields and loves them. A Father in Heaven who knows each one of those women on the beach and loves them. And it's that same Father in Heaven who knows you and me and loves us just as much.
A Father in Heaven who knows and loves each and everyone of us? Now that's something to be excited about.
It is unfortunate that as long as there has been love in the world there has also been conflict and war. I think there are more people in the world who see us as brothers and sisters than those who don't but there always seem to be a few who would rather fight than put aside differences and live in peace. After all, that is what we must do within our own families, find common ground and love each other in spite of our differences.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like you are learning, experiencing, growing, appreciating, witnessing, expanding. You truly understand love- one of life's simplest yet hardest lesson to pursue
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