War brings no good to anyone, unless one wants to believe that enriching a cabal of warmongers is “good”.
Yesterday was not only my wife’s birth day, it was so-called “Veterans Day” that honored all who had served in the armed forces of this country. In our family, we always went out for dinner on that day, but yesterday, we ordered our food at home and drove to our restaurant to pick it up. The server who brought it to us asked if I was a veteran, and when I told her that I had served in the US army for three years, assigned to an army hospital in Germany during the Vietnam conflict, she said, “Your meal is free.” I was honored to hear those words.
I had enlisted in the army in 1960 to be assured that I would not be drafted to work in a dispensary, but to serve at the end of my general surgical residency training as a general surgeon. I did not serve in combat, but I was on “active duty” and I got to see military life from the inside out. I also got a lot of second hand experience from serving military types who had been in the Vietnam combat. I felt very upset by the stories of murder that I was hearing… the sources of terrible PTSD… and when my obligatory service period ended, I was relieved to know that I had no reserve obligations; so I resigned my commission.
Shortly after returning stateside, I found the position for a staff surgeon in a fine, country hospital in rural Maine. I served there for 19 years, during which time I was introduced to the human development work of Earl Nightingale who taught me the power and value of knowing the effects of “attitudes” on one’s life. Several of my patients were Quakers, and because of my spiritual interests, they invited me to become a member of the local Friends (Quaker) Worship Group.
I was born into a Christian Science and Episcopal family. When I was six, I was given a copy of Marguerite de Angeli’s 1940 book, “Thee, Hannah”, which was a story about a young Quaker girl meeting an escaped slave in pre-Civil War Philadelphia. Through that book, I learned that Quakers were pacifists also known as “Friends” and that they believed that there was “that of God” in everyone.
As Life would have it, I was advised to seek admission to the Quaker College, Haverford College. They accepted me, and the next four years were rich in the Quaker way. In addition, my parents joined a summer vacation resort in the Pocono Mountains that had a strong Quaker background. I became active in the local Quaker Worship Group and soon requested invitation to join The Religious Society of Friends. My request was accepted, and I was thereby given the opportunity to develop a rich appreciation of peace.
In 1990, I found the rich Tibetan Buddhist practice of Tonglen, a practice of compassion that prayerfully offered the means to let suffering become peace. I had grown up with a lot of anger that I struggled to “control”. The struggle ended with Tonglen, which altered my body chemistry gently and beautifully.
Along with yesterday’s gentle offering of a free meal earned by being an army veteran, I experienced a precious synchronicity that brought home all thoughts and feelings leading to be a participant in the work to end war. I opened my computer to find a post from yesmagazine.org that brought home all the thinking and experience of our need to practice peace… to become peaceful inside regardless of what is happening outside. I encourage you to open this link and see what veterans are saying about war: https://www.yesmagazine.org/social-justice/
Blessing thoughts come and abide, Ken
