Appreciation and Action
Like many parents, I like to end my evenings by checking in on both of my boys as they sleep. I'll carefully step in, take a moment, and listen to them breathe as they rest on a warm bed. The sound of their sleep calms me.
Whatever anxieties I've carried that day tend to be momentarily pushed aside. The issues that stress me out matter less when considering that my family has a warm, secure home to sleep in. When the sun rises in the morning, food is in our fridge, and we have no real anticipation of destruction and violence. I am deeply grateful that my family lives in peace today. We are fortunate enough to have what many parents in war-torn countries hope and pray for. The desperation those parents must feel contrasts with my contentment.
Typically, this sentiment is followed by an appropriate but predictable statement like, "We have safety and freedom because of our soldiers, and we need to show them respect on Remembrance Day." And as true as that may be, a patriotic statement like that doesn't require much more of me other than to say it and wear a poppy.
Many wiser people have pointed out that peacekeeping is not a neutral act, and the best way to show respect for our troops is for us to be active in peacekeeping.
The question we need to answer for ourselves is, what are we doing to reduce the risk of war in the world so that the men and women who serve in the armed forces won't need to put their lives on the line? They, too, were once children with moms and dads who checked on them at night.
I'm far from a geopolitical expert, but you and I all have agency and the power to make positive change. Numerous organizations help people in developing countries and nations engulfed in war, and we can donate to and support them. Generosity is and will always be a bucket of cool water on the flames of conflict. This year, our family sponsored a clean water project through ERDO. My wife and I explained to our boys how important it is for people to have clean drinking water, and we allowed them to share some of their allowance to support the project. We have no illusions as a family that acts like this will bring world peace. Still, one family receiving clean, drinkable water has reduced tension and conflict in a community overseas. We've made a small investment in peace, and we believe that matters.
We should always show respect and appreciation for the lives lost or wounded in war, but we must always channel that appreciation into action that actively builds a world where peace is every day.
A world where every parent can sleep well at night.
A world where soldiers don’t have to die.
Thank you for reading, friend. May you find an opportunity to appreciate the sacrifice and take action for peace.