My grandfather fought for the free French during WW2, fighting his way into Germany. I grew up in the country that was the aggressor in that war, having breakfast with the grandparents of friends—people who were once mortal ennemies to my grandparents. I remember my grandfather telling me that he had traced back his lineage four hundred years, and every single generation of men before him had also fought war. My father was the first to enjoy peace. He told me war may seem far away. That peace in Europe were to stay. But that I should remember that peace was the anomaly. War was the status quo. That I should never get used to peace. Today, my close friend’s mother is hiding in a basement, her building being rattled by artillery fire. My grandpa LOVED being right, but over this I’m sure he would have preferred being wrong.
Hi Vasant. You might have thought this newsletter was less fertile but it was very powerful. I love Daisaku Ikeda's words on war: “Nothing is more barbarous than war…A great revolution in the character in just a single person will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and further, will cause a change in the destiny of all humankind.” We can all be that single person.
I love how this illustrates the struggle I feel at the existence of war. I also love “reverse the scenario completely and see what happens”.
My grandfather fought for the free French during WW2, fighting his way into Germany. I grew up in the country that was the aggressor in that war, having breakfast with the grandparents of friends—people who were once mortal ennemies to my grandparents. I remember my grandfather telling me that he had traced back his lineage four hundred years, and every single generation of men before him had also fought war. My father was the first to enjoy peace. He told me war may seem far away. That peace in Europe were to stay. But that I should remember that peace was the anomaly. War was the status quo. That I should never get used to peace. Today, my close friend’s mother is hiding in a basement, her building being rattled by artillery fire. My grandpa LOVED being right, but over this I’m sure he would have preferred being wrong.
Hi Vasant. You might have thought this newsletter was less fertile but it was very powerful. I love Daisaku Ikeda's words on war: “Nothing is more barbarous than war…A great revolution in the character in just a single person will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and further, will cause a change in the destiny of all humankind.” We can all be that single person.
bruce!!!!! When in doubt Bruce!!!