Hey Folks,

On this Memorial Day I am thinking about all those who have given their lives in war. I am thinking of many of my students, children whose parents are now stationed in the Middle East, and who just want their mom or dad to come home, safe.
Some people have asked me how it is I can oppose the war and still claim to support our troops. Well, it is precisely because I support our troops that I oppose this and all other wars. To me, the highest honor we can pay our soldiers is to find a way to end all armed combat. I simply refuse to believe that we as human beings, as creative, kind, loving and generous as we prove capable of being, over and over, that we can find no better solution to our conflicts than to kill and cause suffering. Yes, I recognise my belief seems simplistic and naive. The world and its politics are vastly complex. But these things mean nothing to a child whose world has been blown apart, whose parents, and perhaps even whose entire family is gone. They mean nothing to a woman whose husband is gone, and whose sons are lost.
I challenge all of us to imagine, as unlikely a scenario as it is, living in a war zone. For some of you reading this, it is not such a stretch. Imagine bombs going off, regularly, in front of Safeway or Walmart. Imagine the horror of losing your child. Again, for some of you, this is reality. To you I extend my heartfelt compassion and a great big hug. You are learning firsthand the biggest lesson of all. Life is fleeting. Nothing is permanent, except for change. Every moment, we need to stay aware of this. I believe our task in this lifetime is to develop compassion for all living beings. This is why I believe all wars shoud end. Because all life, ALL life is precious.
On this Memorial Day, I am meditating on world peace and the healing of humanity. I invite everyone to spend some time in quiet, imagining a world at peace. Really see the Middle East in harmony, the atrocities in Darfur healed, the North Korean people free. Unfortunately, there are too many conflicts to name all. But you get the picture. World Peace. What better way to honor those who have paid the ultimate price?