The Symbol of Peace
What is a symbol and its meaning that represents your life at this moment? The weekly prompt from Know Thyself, Heal Thyself. Please see the link below.
The peace symbol’s been a part of me since I was a young girl.
It began during the Vietnam War.
Imagine being 8, 9, or 10 years old watching the war at home while having dinner each night. Even on a black and white TV, the images were horrifying.
My dad, mom and two sisters watched. We had open dialogue which helped ease what I was seeing. What I was listening to.
I was in elementary school. My school was next to the high school. I lived close by and walked to and from school.
The high school posted the names of graduates killed or that were MIA, on the high school marquee each week. I stopped often to read those names.
There were far too many. The lists seemed so long. Especially in a small town.
The Protests
I was amazed at the number of people that protested. To see college students on their campuses marching & reading their protest signs. Watching the guys burn their draft cards.
Why couldn’t we have world peace?
What could I do to protest? My small signs of protest were me drawing peace symbols and hearts each time I had a pen or pencil in hand. ☮💜🌼
As the war continued & I grew older, I expanded my own little protest. I began using my babysitting money on all thing’s peace. Peace earrings. Peace candle. Peace clothing.
And for a number of years, I wore a POW/MIA bracelet to honor Lt. Col. Terrin D. Hicks.
Damn, I wish I had kept them all.
New Year’s Eve 1999–24 Hours of Toasts into the year 2000 🥂🍾
Will peace finally be here? It was often predicted 2000 would be the year.
The year for Peace.
Celebrations were televised around the world as the clock struck midnight in each time zone. Every hour on the hour. I partied with my best friend, and we toasted each one. Everywhere — Fireworks. Singing. Kissing. Laughter. Fun. 🎆🎇
I held so much hope. It felt like peace was near. The world seemed as one.
I had a good job. I was with (and still am with) a great guy. The economy was rocking. The country had a surplus. Everyone seemed to be on “top of the world.”
Everyone seemed ready for peace.
But it was not to be…
Since 2000 —
There have been a total of 122 wars, conflicts, rebellions, clashes, skirmishes, crises, insurgencies, offensives, and unrest.
As I write this, 44 of the 122 are ongoing! Still happening…today!!
The death tolls in the selected war zones of Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and Pakistan since September 11th are over 800,000 people.
Will we ever find peace?
Global Peace continues to elude us. At least as a whole. As an entire civilization.
There are so many conflicts. Too much opposition.
The quest for power. The greed. The racism. The misogyny. The need of some to control the many.
It can be depressing, debilitating, devasting.
Can we ever learn and understand the importance of listening, collaboration and negotiation?
“Ultimate peace begins within; when we find peace within there will be no more conflict, nor more occasion for war.” ~ Peace Pilgrim
The Beginnings of Peace
After all these years, I’m no longer that little girl. But I do still hold those ideals. I still add peace signs, hearts & a daisy at the end of my journal entries. It keeps my memories alive and the remembrances of those we’ve lost. It’s important to never forget. ☮💜🌼
Peace is possible. But with a different approach. We must go deeper. We must look within. Peace begins within each one of us.
I believe in Peace Pilgrim’s words. I wrote of my search in an earlier poem.
The Search for Peace. The journey to finding peace | by Linda Cowgill | Medium
May each and every one of us, find our peace within.
Let’s begin to share that peace & love and feel it grow around the world. 🌍🌎🌏 We are after all…one another’s brothers & sisters.
I wish peace to you all. ☮️
Article based upon the prompt:
https://readmedium.com/out-of-the-shadows-with-spiritual-symbolism-a16775354f3c https://medium.com/@mizmindful
by jules
Resources: Brown University Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs Direct War Death Toll Since 2001: 801,000 | Figures | Costs of War (brown.edu)
