Yesterday marked an important anniversary. June 6, 1944, was D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history, when Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy to begin the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation. I visited Le Mémorial de Caen in Normandy, France, last September. I was moved to tears when I saw the flags of the Allied nations outside the museum.
Fast forward to the present, there are even more wars happening around the world than eight months ago. My heart aches for periods when the world seemed more hopeful and stable than it does today.
When we were children, we could share space and resources. We compromised and took turns to get on the swings in the playground. We saw more similarities than differences in ourselves and our friends. We were more willing to accept each other as we were.
I know for conflicts such as the American-Iran war, Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Palestinian war and various civil wars to take place, there are often combinations of reasons and triggers. I only hope that the leaders of these countries keep in mind the damages these wars have caused. When they try to resolve their differences, they would remember the subtle losses such as worldwide high inflation and the destruction of irreplaceable historical and cultural heritage as a result.  |
Palmyra, Syria in December 2008
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I yearn for harmony so that I could hear the kids chanting "Ole, Ole, Ole" at Iguazu Falls,
and kids giggling at Victoria Falls again, "Kikiki"...
Perhaps the answers are right in front of us all along. We should look for similarities rather than differences. The flags at the Memorial de Caen remind us how much more wonderful the world could be when we live in harmony.
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