The Eyes of the World Are Watching Now

This morning I logged onto the computer before heading out for my morning run. I was stunned and saddened to learn of the tragic assasination of Benazir Bhutto today. I felt my heart plunge into my gut as I imagined the chaos and grief flooding the streets and hearts of the people of Pakistan. I do not claim to be a political guru, savvy to all the latest permutations and circumnavigations of world politics, but what I do know is I am saddened today by the loss of a mother, wife and woman who committed her life to the peaceful betterment of her people, particularly the women of Pakistan. I am also saddened by the loss of life of yet another desperate suicide bomber as well as those individuals killed simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

My thoughts can easily becomes overwhelmed by the impact of greed, religious dogma, and man's effort to control and stifle another human being. Often these dire thoughts become too much and I use the trusty old standby, avoidance, to extricate myself from my discomfort. Heartache is everywhere we choose to look, whether it be in our own backyard (homelessness, gang violence, domestic abuse) or in the backyard of another on the other side of the world (i.e., Darfur, Tibet, Iraq). It is quite easy for us to shift our gaze, blocking out that which is uncomfortable or painful to acknowledge. It is also easy for us to react to something different or foreign to our own beliefs with defensiveness and anger. I believe the root of these responses is fear. We become fearful when we feel we are not heard, loved, valued and respected. We become fearful when it appears that another is getting more of the "pie" than we feel they deserve. We become fearful when the values and beliefs upon which we were raised are challenged and we retaliate in blistering anger and bitter scorn.

It saddens me that today the world lost a calm, persistent, intelligent and peaceful voice--one who expressed similar sentiments endorsed by Gandhi, King, and Kennedy. It saddens me that assasination, war and physical conflict continue to be the way in which we impotently strive for mastery and control. My silent prayer for today and the days that follow are for each and every one of us to evolve: To open up our minds in order to consider another way--one which respects and values another. To choose life over death and destruction. To choose love over hate and bigotry. To choose compassion over condemnation.

The grassroots organization, Department of Peace writes: "Peace is not a utopian ideal; it is an issue critical to our national and human security. Either we continue reactively addressing ever-increasing levels of violence and the consequent human and economic costs, or we take a fresh approach. This isn’t about the politics of left or right; it is about what is practical and effective. We must create the possibility for applied peacebuilding to identify and resolve conflict before it erupts into violence. The science of peacebuilding has significantly expanded over the past 30 years, creating previously unavailable tools for dismantling violence. Yet nowhere in the highest echelons of our government is there a platform from which to launch a focused, strategic approach to reducing and preventing violence."

It is my hope that, as the eyes of the world are watching, our global leaders will use this sad opportunity to choose the novel, conscious choice of global peacebuilding over the seemingly knee-jerk reaction of further destruction and violence. Let them recall the 1950s holiday carol which played the airwaves just a few days ago: "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be."

Thought for the Day: What action can you take today to bring greater peace into our world?

"You can blow out a candle
But you can't blow out a fire
Once the flames begin to catch
The wind will blow it higher

And the eyes of the world are
watching now, watching now"
--Peter Gabriel, "Biko"