Even though very little of what happens around the world has a direct effect on me, I am at loose ends this morning. Part of me is enraged at all the senseless violence. Part of me is depressed that there's no clear path out of what is the most dynamic yet stalled out situations. The whipsaw of new headlines. The world can't function with this amount of anxiety and uncertainty. Our demand for change in everything around us while also demanding that we ourselves will not change until we are ready is causing so much dissonance. My head spins if I am not careful to step away. I can hardly imagine much less feel what the people in the middle of this maelstrom are experiencing. For most of us it's merely a data point. Did this happen? How much happened? Is there conclusive results? But for others it's actual life and death for themselves and their loved ones. The cruelty makes my heart ache. We continue to talk about the limits and requirements to prosecute war and defend ourselves. Spend this percent on defense. Spend the percent on making killing machines. Accept that killing those opposed to you is the most effective method. I reject this thinking. Peace is achieved by meeting with your adversaries, no matter how much you hate them. Peace is achieved through communicating. Peace is achieved when you say no to the loaded gun in your hand. Peace is achieved when you are willing to sacrifice yourself for the possibility. Otherwise it's more death and destruction. It's not a just cause because it is at a distance. More peace. Real strength is not about subjugating those around you. Real strength is the ability to withstand the pressure and not give up your values even if it means you don't get what you think you deserve. Will we be willing to accept less if it means the world can be at peace or will we destroy it to make our point. Have we really grown so large and so callous that we can no longer see the other as ourselves?