Imagine Peace
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not so sure about the former. Albert Einstein
Sebastian Junger’s new book entitled War, tells of his experience embedded with troops in a remote part of Afghanistan for 14 months. Junger, who wrote The Perfect Storm, presents a vivid picture of how today’s combat soldiers see the world. He writes about the “high” of combat and how 19 to 24 year-old soldiers become hooked on it (anyone over 27 is an old geezer). After a time, they don’t want to come back to the “real” world. Maybe it’s war fever or the times we live in, but there are a slew of new movies (The Hurt Locker), television series (The Pacific), and books (War and Matterhorn) portraying men’s lust for combat.
Never having been in a war (hey, I’m a Canadian!), I have a fascination for all things about war, whether it’s old films on the Battle of Britain (I’m sure I had a past life as a pilot in the RAF), espionage stories by Kenn Follett, or books about The One Hundred Year’s War (Sharpe’s War), the Saxon Wars (Bernard Cornwall’s many books) or the American Revolutionary War. Maybe it’s some sublimated desire for violence and excitement in my life. Or it could be that I feel like a combat veteran myself, having dealt with having cancer four times, having been through my first wife dying, and being a caregiver for Linda, who is in almost constant pain.
When it comes to war, what strikes me is how little has changed over the centuries. There has always been “war” going on somewhere in the planet, whether it’s between two nations, two tribes, two rival gangs, or two neighbors fighting each other. People have been killing each other since the beginning of (so-called) civilization and it’s not about to end anytime soon. Men charge up hills on suicide missions and get blown up; others maim and torture each other; lowly foot soldiers take orders from politically driven generals. There is little difference between war 2000 years ago and war today—except that we have the dubious distinction of being able to save those who have their legs and arms blown off, rather than letting them die in battle.
Last week I saw a bumper sticker on a car saying IMAGINE PEACE. I love the idea of “imagining peace.” I love the idea of a world without war. But the inescapable truth is that there will always be war.
Why? Because “war” and “peace” exist in this apparent world of duality. In duality, if we want peace, we must also expect war; if we want love, we must also expect hate. That is the nature of duality. There is no escaping it.
Is there a way out? Fortunately, yes. By turning inward to that which is beyond peace and war, by opening to the “peace that surpasseth understanding” that lies within each of us. As the great sage Ramana Maharshi says, “Realize the real Self. That is all that is necessary.” The world outside us is an illusion, and all our suffering, and the suffering of the world, is a result of believing it to be real. Once we discover who we truly are—beyond opposites—all there is is peace. War happens, peace happens, and we understand that it is all part of the play of life, with everyone playing their role with divine perfection.