Will We Ever…

Will we ever be able to stand by one another in unity and peace?

It would be like fresh cool water from a spring being poured over our heads to cool the unrelenting heat of anger that we don’t even understand.

Will we ever be able to support one another in unity and peace?

It would be like adding a soothing ointment that softens the wounds of war and heals the ugly scars we cause on one another.

Will we ever be able to love one another in unity and peace?

It would be like the valleys of heaven descended upon us to show us the beauty and kindness of life that we all were supposed to enjoy.

Will we ever be able?

This poem was first published in Reflections & Revelations, The Short of It, Volume 2, 2022.

It was based on Psalm 133 of the Bible, NIV version. So many of the Psalms are prayer songs that tried to understand the meanness of the world while hoping for better days.

We will never understand the meanness, hurt, and desolation of war. Our inner nature is to love…as he first loved, so war makes no sense.

When we visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York City, the immensity of that place was hallowed. No loud sounds could be heard from other onlookers. Even the sounds of the city seemed muted. Soft cries from people were heard as they placed their hands on the memorial wall that surrounded the massive holes in the ground. The walls surrounding the fountain was filled with the names of loved ones who were killed in the towers or rescue workers who were killed trying their best to save at least one person. Memories of that day still fill my mind, as I was in the Atlanta airport getting ready to board a plane when the airport was shut down. Knives and box cutters were later found in the trashcans around the airport proving another plane was scheduled to be used. How could that much hate be filtered into people against other people? In my mind and heart, I know why but I still ask the questions of why. Below are pictures I took while we were at the memorial. While we don’t want to dwell on this particular travesty, we need to pray for the hatred and unrest filling our planet in so many locations. And we lift our arms to God above to come quickly before we fully implode in anger.

More than 2,000 lives were taken that day.

Around the Oculus are wonderful statues by Gillie and Marc proving the beauty of wildlife and animals. Their whimsical art statues of animals doing things humans do gives you a light smile for a very sad place because people are not the only creatures on this planet that are purposely attacked.

We should always remember that if we try, truly try, we can find goodness in each of us and can work together to find and maintain happiness. It starts with being kind.