Remembrance Sunday

I'll stand in silence and remember those who have fallen,
I won't however stand in silence for those who will fall.

I'll stand in silence and remember those who have fallen,
I won't, however, stand with a red poppy on my suit. It will be white.

I'll stand in silence and remember those who have fallen,
I can't, however, stand feeling like war is only in the past.

I'll stand in silence and remember those who have fallen,
I can't, however, stand feeling comfortable with myself.



I'm a pacifist. Though I may have hurt those around me through my actions when self-destructing, I will never hurt someone intentionally. I will never be violent. Apart from occasionally to my own self. But that is something different.
My brother is applying to be in the forces. I'll support him in his life for he is my brother, however I really struggle to support this choice of his. He knows that, but it is what he wants to do.
Though I may be an idealist, an optimist beyond what is realistic, I hope for peace. A simple 5 letter word. Where inhumane violence without reason becomes a thing of the past. Where people realise that the vicious deaths of other humans in the name of "justice" or "war" is a waste, and words and actions of kindness can do far more long-lasting good.

The world is full of different people with different beliefs, I know that. My little "I hope for peace" doesn't go very far. The thing is, as was said by a priest in some prayers a few weeks back, that we should hope for "Dignity of recognising differences, rather than searching ignorantly for only the similarities". The world isn't a just place, but I can't see how violence can ever be the answer. Fighting injustice with yet more injustice seems futile and destructive.

I really struggle with silence, *really* struggle. Having a brain which has lots of internal noises and shouting in it means when the external noises stop my mind tends to wreak havoc. However, I doubt my brain-full of noises is much compared to what some people experience going on externally. When they live in fear, for their homes, for their lives, for their identity.
So I will stand in silence for those who have fallen.
However, I can't stand silently and watch the world now. I can't be passive in a world full of huge violence. At the moment, I try change the world only a very little, only in this small corner. I'm sure others are doing the same. Probably in very different ways to me.
Peace. I hope for peace. In a world where at times it seems distant and forgotten, I hope for peace to prevail. Globally, between communities, inside communities, between families, inside families, between individuals, and in individuals.
I'll stand in silence for those who have fallen, and hope for peace.