IT'S THANKSGIVING; MAY WE ALL FIND PEACE

#Thanksgiving? #WarInGaza? #Israel? #Palestine #grievances? #forgiveness

??????????????? The war in Gaza is a flare-up of old grievances.

??????????????? The country now called Israel was once called Palestine. Jews from around the world needed a safe place to escape persecution.

??????????????? So, in 1948, after World War II ended, after enduring the Holocaust, Jews set up their “Promised Land” that the Bible described. That turned out to be what was then Palestine.

??????????????? From then on, both Palestinians and Israelis recognize what is now Israel as their land.

??????????????? Such a decades long dispute can create hard-liners on both sides – even terrorists.

??????????????? This latest war started from a terrorist attack on Israelis October 7, 2023, by the Arab group known as Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip. Many Israelis were killed, and many Israelis and other foreign nationals have been taken hostage.

??????????????? Understandably, Israelis want to eliminate the threat of Hamas for good. To do so, they have killed many innocent Palestinians living in Gaza. They have also rendered much of Gaza unlivable by cutting essentials, thereby displacing millions of people.

??????????????? It has also given rise to demonstrations throughout the world. Some demonstrators are pro-Israeli, others pro-Palestinian. Some have included people with long simmering bigotries, who may or may not even care about the war.

??????????????? So, the lessons for this Thanksgiving may be to live and let live. Elvis Presley once sang that he wanted a little less conversation and a little more action. This year, we should all hope for a lot more conversation, and a lot less fighting.

?????????????? Perhaps we should also wish for a lot less bigotry --- or, better yet, none at all – and a lot more friendship and forgiveness.

??????????????? Some things are hard to forgive, and impossible to forget. However, almost everyone agrees that physical fighting accomplishes very little. It may make one feel better for a moment, but it rarely leads to permanent peace.

??????????????? It’s impossible to put oneself in another’s shoes, even for a moment. Instead, we should find ways to peacefully coexist in a world that, despite our disputes and grievances, keeps everyone safe, healthy and prosperous.

??????????????? Too much to ask, you say? Perhaps. But, we as individuals, can do our part to lessen tension with our associates, friends or family, with whom we have an issue.

??????????????? If we can curb revengeful instincts, that would be a start.

??????????????? So, this year, give thanks for all that is good in your life. Wish the best for all who are undergoing challenges. Don’t inflame. Instead, be the flame that shows the way to peace.

??????????????? Old grievances die hard. May they, instead, be tamped down. That may be the first and best way to find peace.

Peter