One Tin Soldier Rides Awayby Jennifer HoffmanNovember 11, 2010=========================This week we celebrate Veteran's Day in the U.S., a day to honor those who have fought in wars and to celebrate the memory of those who did not return. As the daughter of a veteran I know first hand the terrible toll that war takes on us, whether we fight in them or live with someone who has. My father did several tours in Viet Nam and although I was very young when he returned after his first tour, I was empathic enough to know that he had been forever changed. The father I knew never returned home after being in that war.My father died twenty-one years ago but his spirit died many years before that, on the battlefields he fought in. He never spoke of his experiences and I knew his silence hid many paiful memories that he did not want to share. I also knew that he was not proud of some of the things he was forced to do but those are the wages of war. Today we are still fighting wars and we wonder whether that aspect of humanity will ever change. Can we imagine a world without war?The title of this article is from a song, One Tin Soldier Rides Away,' and its lyrics speak of the reasons we fight each other on the battlefield of life. The song reminds us that in the end, no one ever wins a war, there is always a price to pay when we believe that victory means that we must conquer someone else. That's true whether the war is between nations, people or within ourselves. There is no winner when life is a battlefield. The new question we can ask ourselves is can we imagine a world of peace? Can we imagine ourselves within peace?Like everything else, whatever we want in the world begins within each of us. We have to be willing to create peace if we want to end war. Each person we are 'at war' with, whether that is someone who is challenging us on some level, not giving us what we want or we are struggling with our own life, is an opportunity for us to imagine peace. What does it take to create the best, most peaceful, fulfilling outcome for everyone? Try to imagine having peace in and within this situation and then take the steps to create that. When each of us can imagine peace as the energy of the world we can create a world in which peace resides and there will be no need for war.Article Copyright ©2010 by Jennifer Hoffman. All rights reserved.
E-mail me when people leave their comments –

You need to be a member of Ashtar Command - Spiritual Community to add comments!

Join Ashtar Command - Spiritual Community

Blog Topics by Tags

  • - (955)

Monthly Archives

Latest Activity

Movella left a comment on Comment Wall
"Orange is their colour, and maybe a trip to Mars? Clearing out the loonies was long overdue, but it’s already happening. Getting the right federal judges in place is a much quicker way to get the wheels turning in favour of the plan."
1 hour ago
Nate posted a discussion in Cmdr. Val Thor: LIVE
I don't know about anyone else, but today was the second time that I feel that Valana has reached out to me. She and Val want their work to continue. The mission is not over.
2 hours ago
AlternateEarth left a comment on Comment Wall
"Obama and the evil gang in the E files in prison garb, or worse? Hope so- meanwhile Pres Trump and the repubs are confirming new federal judges at a record pace, replacing oboma era activist judges."
3 hours ago
Nate left a comment on Cmdr. Val Thor: LIVE
" Valana's and Val's mission here isn't over."
3 hours ago
Nate commented on JTH's blog post Reflecting upon a Dear Friend and Mentor
"Can someone please contact me? I use to belong to Eagles Haven. I don't feel that Valana's mission is over yet."
3 hours ago
Movella left a comment on Comment Wall
"That Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 was just an accessory for diversity optics. It must look so out of place on the shelf next to those fake reports and IDs. I suppose it’s hard to stay in character when you can’t even remember if your own wife’s name is…"
6 hours ago
Drekx Omega commented on Drekx Omega's blog post One Rebel Star Should Fall From The EU Flag's Circular Constellation and Rise Anew With Greater and Brighter Light
"This is a human rights issue the world should wake up to....Forget your Palestine crap and support CHAGOSSIANS, now being threatened with eviction by Starmer, who is attempting to emulate his hero, Xi Jinping.....Bah...!!
May the Trump…"
6 hours ago
Drekx Omega left a comment on Comment Wall
"This is a human rights issue the world should wake up to....Forget your Palestine crap and support CHAGOSSIANS, now being threatened with eviction by Starmer, who is attempting to emulate his hero, Xi Jinping.....Bah...!!
May the Trump…"
7 hours ago
More…