I have always been an observer. Even as a child I enjoyed quietly finding a place to sit where I might have a view of the passing parade around me. My parents and my teachers taught me to consider all sides of an argument before choosing a side. They noted that there are times when there is no clear cut winner or loser. The world is so complex that sometimes the middle ground is the best place to be, but that vantage point can also feel wishy washy. There have been times when I had to make a decision one way or another without the clarity that I wanted. Taking a chance on being right about something can be one of life’s greatest challenges. 

It’s especially difficult for a parent to wade into the grey areas of raising a child. I have spent many sleepless nights debating inside my mind, wondering if I was doing the right things for my children. So too it was with my role as a teacher. There were moments when I had to decide how to deal with troubled students even as I realized that there were many sides to their stories. Like Tevye in Fiddler On the Roof I was all too aware of arguments about “the other hand” until there was “no other hand.” 

As I witness the state of the world today I can see the nuances and complexities but I find it difficult to determine the single right answer about so many of the issues, particularly when it comes to the situation in Israel and Gaza. I see the suffering of humanity on both sides of the wall and it tears my heart in two. I wonder when and if the people of the Middle East will ever be able to live in peace and harmony. I worry that my way of thinking about the issues is too soft or that the ensuing wars are too harsh. I long for a peacemaker with the wisdom of Solomon but sense that there is nobody up to the task. I find myself in a constant state of worry over the plight of people whose only desire is to live their lives without fear, want or lack of freedom. 

My understanding of history and politics is strong enough to know that there have always been ruling classes everywhere that decide the fate of ordinary folk. Sometimes those in charge are less concerned with the people and more directed toward keeping and expanding their own  power. We seem to be in a cycle in which strong actors everywhere are pushing the envelope of aggression. Meanwhile there is so much suffering and so few easy answers. 

I am finding it difficult to stop watching and stewing over the state of the world. My overriding instinct is to analyze the situation and seek solutions. It’s baked into my DNA to be serious about such things. On a small scale within my family or inside a classroom I usually find the answers that I seek, but on the worldwide stage I am overwhelmed by the many faces of conflict. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I see that sometimes that is the only way to stop our human aggressions. It pains me to watch the violence and hate being played out in real time. All people are my brothers and sisters so choosing a side to help is so difficult. Ferreting out the enemy is not always clear. Knowing the correct course for stopping the carnage is murky 

We humans have endured a tough time for awhile. We try to entertain ourselves and go about our routines, but in the back of our minds is the chaos and tragedy unfolding sometimes in our own backyards and sometimes far away. Perhaps it would be best to just roll with the tide but doing so may lead us to places that we do not want to be. Fighting the undertow can seem impossible but necessary. Sometimes we have to take a stand, choose the lesser of two evils. With all of the noise around us it can feel impossible to think. I suppose that is where I stand right now. 

Nothing is perfect in this world. No person is all wise or all good. Therein lies the problem of choosing sides. For every good thing there are always dark things as well that give us pause to cast our allegiance. Only some things look certain. Slavery was unequivocally bad. Putin had no right to invade Ukraine. The Hamas terrorists were evil, but the long term fate of Palestinians has indeed been wrought with much suffering and they continue to be pawns in a political chess game. Israelis are reeling from the horrific attacks on innocents in their country but now they have to balance their rage with compassion for innocents in Gaza. There is nothing easy about what each of the players must do. The bloodshed and suffering is heartbreaking and is sadly being repeated in so many hotspots in the world. 

The only certainty that I have right now is that I stand with peace and compassion and generosity. I believe in my heart that we can be very different and still get along in a deeply loving way. I see strength in a willingness to advocate for the millions and millions of souls without voices. We can root out the evil without collateral damage to people whose only wish is to live and work in freedom and comfort. It’s an ideal presented to us by Jesus of Nazareth over two thousand years ago. We would do well to get back to the basics of his command that we learn how to love. As we enter the holiday season perhaps the greatest gift that we might offer is to spread kindness and most of all understanding of our mutual humanity. A ceasefire of rancor can begin with each of us.