“We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,”
Remembrance Day gives poignancy to humanity’s longing for the end of war. The only way to avoid violence is to understand conflict – what it is and how to respond in a way that promotes peaceful solutions and outcomes. There have been great military leaders who knew that war was not the answer. Sun Tzu, China’s great general believed that an army could attain victory without going to battle.
“No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Lady Budd 
The general gives wise advice–he understood what could avoid war. Perhaps these same principles should apply as we seek to resolve our everyday petty conflicts.
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I agree completely. When I was young, adults told me to play nice, share and never fight. But the problem was – they were not stellar models. We all must face the fact that conflict is not going away and the sooner we learn to deal with it individually, the sooner we will be able to deal with it on a grander scale. Sun Tzu’s premise was to “know thyself” first…which, in my experience is not an easy task!
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You keep going girl! I’ve got your back! 🙂
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You have no idea how wonderful that makes me feel!!!
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