This month, I’m disheartened by the war that broke out in the Middle East. I have also been following the other one going on in the Ukraine. On top of that, I have been researching WWII for a new novel.
We can’t seem to stop making war. You may have your feelings about these conflicts. I’d be interested in hearing them. I support Ukraine and Israel, but in both cases, when I watch the devastating results on the TV news, I see innocent people suffering on both sides; their homes, cities, and towns are reduced to rubble, and many have lost all of their worldly possessions. Innocent citizens are being killed, wounded, and homeless, not to mention the rising death tolls among the military personnel.
Then, there’s the tremendous cost attributed to these clashes—billions and billions of dollars. The U.S. alone has spent nearly fifty billion dollars supporting Ukraine’s efforts to keep their homeland free. All that money could go to making a better world to live in. Perhaps if the money spent on military equipment could be used for humanitarian needs, it could help the Palestinian people have a better existence.
I often wonder: isn’t the United Nations supposed to keep peace in the world? It doesn’t seem like they are doing anything to stop these wars, let alone preventing them.
A friend of ours had planned to visit friends in Israel. The war broke out only a few days before she was going to leave. She had to cancel her trip. A few days after the violence began, I called her to find out how her friends were doing. They were safe. Their son, a reservist in the Israeli Army, had been called up. I hope they have remained out of harm’s way.
It scares me to think that the same atrocities can happen to us. Remember 9/11, it proved we, too, are vulnerable. Today, wars are fought with weapons that weren’t available in WWII. They use missiles, drones, and high-powered automatic weapons which inflict deathly wounds. We also live under the constant threat of nuclear weapons that can annihilate the earth’s population.
This is a lot to swallow and not my typical blog. So, I apologize for this rant. I just had to get this off my chest. In closing, I’d like to end on a positive note. The attached pictures show the beautiful fall weather here in Santa Fe. I am thankful I still live in a safe and peaceful place. I hope this finds you and yours in good health. Let’s all put our collective thoughts into thinking positive thoughts for peace in the world.
PEACE & LOVE
