Horrors of war.

Sometimes it is the horrors of war that are the most effective teachers in recognizing the folly of war. You can speak of international dissent. You can speak of war in the abstract and say you wish it didn’t exist, but when you are more intimately aware of the suffering and denial of human values, then the foolishness and tragedy of war becomes more apparent.

That is a dramatic example, but it can be applied to individual relationships as well. When relationships falter, you come to understand the value of relationships. You do not always appreciate something in life until it is no longer present. You tend not to appreciate certain individuals, and when they cease to be present in their lives for they have joined us, you surround them with eulogies that extol their value to your own personal path. Experiencing loss enough times strengthens your commitment to the value of all human beings regardless of behaviors, regardless of words, regardless of actions, regardless of contrasting beliefs. Life is sacred, and it is through a loss of the presence of others that you become more committed to that sacredness.