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| © April Hoeller |
I am off balance, out of sorts, unsettled this morning. While it's not a happy place to be, it's not entirely debilitating; just a knot in my gut accompanied by a heightened state of vigilance. And the source of this disturbance in the force? In a word, Syria. I am a soldier's mother and so there is more to this angst than a profound humanitarian concern; deep heart strings are vibrating.
I know two things as I write this. One, as a sojourner in the global community, a steward of all resources charged with handing on a better world to those who come after me, I cannot abide the use of chemical weapons; I cannot abide any organization, government or otherwise, that unleashes this horror on any community. It's a heinous, criminal act that demands a definitive response, one that not only rebukes in no uncertain terms but also severely limits, if not eliminates, the possibility of any further use.
The second thing I know today is that I'm really glad I'm not one of the world leaders who must take the counsel of the nations and make the decisions which must be made, because there is no right answer, no clear, straight path through the politics, posturing and personalities; no quick way over the borders, barriers and brokenness. I don't have the patience for this task, nor the stomach for it. Those who do must be willing to spend time in a devil's playground where fact and fiction constantly shape-shift in a soup of fear. The best they can do is strive to find that lesser of evils, the one that holds the greatest potential for the welfare of the citizens both now and in the long run. Such decisions cannot possibly be unequivocal.
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| © Pavel Losevsky - Fotolia.com |
And the soldier's mother? Well this one knows that for the time being, her anxious thoughts are anticipatory, perhaps even imaginary. There will be no immediate involvement for Canadian Forces, but that could change at any time in the coming months. I know well the roller coaster of emotions that an overseas deployment to a war zone brings. No doubt it is my body's memory of that Afghanistan time that is hyping my stress level now. There are many other military moms out there who don't have the luxury of a comfortable distance from the Middle East. I stand with them, hand in hand, watching, waiting, hoping.
If you know a military mom, dad, spouse, sibling, send them a hug today, and thank them for their service.
may the forces be with you and yours...hugs and hopes to your family and many others whose thoughts are wandering to the edge...we are beside you always xo
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