As a result of Brexit and Trump’s Wall induced hatred spree, I found myself a pacifist wishing to be pacific.
I have read and listened to numerous advocates for ‘leave’ and ‘remain’. I do not know much about American politics, I just simply do not favour the guy with the crazy hair-do!
And this is what it is really about: personal favourites and innate motivators.
Though, most of us are convinced that we can see the greater picture and form our opinion on what’s best for humanity, we all actually form our point of views based solely on our own deep-seated need for ‘something or other’.
In my case it is safety.
I am a pacifist because of the war-zone I grew up in. I lived with it, I lived in it and I eventually integrated it inside of me. As a result of that, I now believe that there is a way to live in peace by appreciating each other’s strengths and having compassion for our weaknesses. I feel comradely towards those who envision a world without ‘the good and the bad’ armoured. In this world of constant separation and comparison, I dream of understanding and embracing. Though it sounds enlightened and visionary, it is still just a personal opinion.
I do not know what the world needs.
It may as well need Brexit and Trump’s racist WW3 prep . Who am I to judge? I only know that I would feel safer in a world where people raised their heads off their daily distress and endless needs, looked into the eye of another and saw the unique beauty of God’s creation.
I know that my grand vision for humanity is utopistic and unreal, what’s more it causes me a great deal of distress. I often feel helpless and frustrated. In my desperation, I judge others to be stupid and senseless in their pursuit for happiness*.
So, I launch myself into gear to fight human ignorance. My inner annoyance and resentment towards those who do not understand my grand vision leads me to a place where I sadly find myself generating exactly the opposite of what I claim to stand for: war.
The challenges of the nonsensical decisions others often generate swirl a hurricane in my life. Instead of standing still and simply allowing the storm to pass, I attempt to stop it or even reverse it. Fighting is just as foolish as the concept of righteousness.
There is only one way to peace*: finding it within, individually. At the same time, finding one’s inner calm means no lack of involvement. Peaceful warrior activists like Mother Theresa and Gandhi achieved greatness for many. Though, we are motivated by it, activism must stem from a sense of inner detachment of personal gain. Additionally, it needs to be accompanied with surrendering our moral superiority, embracing differences and knowing that we are all evolving in the process.
None of us knows what’s best but we can all peacefully strive for something greater: more peaceful, more embracing, kinder* …
The War is always within.
*replace the word with your own
Featured image is from DEVIANART.COM by angelettediana11
