Peace: Identifying the Problem is Half Way to Getting There
As I was sitting watching 60 Minutes tonight, cemented in my mind came two common elements barring us from true peace in this world: lack of respect and lack of empathy. On tonight's 60 Minutes broadcast, China was identified as the major party to fentanyl overdoses for the whole world. How did this mass disregard for human life come to be? Were the people responsible for this evil not taught to respect or feel compassion for their fellow man? How did this bypass them?
The mass murders across the globe -- at what point did the responsible parties lose all sense of respect and compassion for their victims? Of course, respect and compassion are two-way streets. Who gave up on seeking counseling for the perpetrators? Were they not treated compassionately as they grew?
Who in their right, healthy mind would threaten another country with nuclear war for any reason? Someone with a sense of entitlement and a lack of boundaries! Someone who does not value all life!
How about the elderly lady who hit my back with her cane decades ago, as she tried to push her way into the subway train? This lady was a regular on my train route to my dormitory from work. No one seemed to move fast enough for this lady and we all got whacked on the back or head for it. Where and how did the breakdown in respect and empathy begin?
I am sure I am not the first to express these concerns. But if we all slowed down enough to realize the danger we impose if we do not start to promote the values of respect and empathy in all generations at home, it will never become the norm globally. OK, so we know the route of evil. Let's focus, people! Make peace a priority for the safety of all.
