The tragedy of the Malaysian Airlines flight has moved us to tears, and our hearts go out to those who are left behind, grieving.
I wrote last time about the ordinary act of packing a suitcase. For me a suitcase is a strong metaphor. It represents ordinariness, something we all do when we travel. But far more, it represents hope, that we will finish the journey and use the things we have packed. It represents trust, that the carrier will get us there safely. So, to see the images of the spilt suitcases shows us how that trust, hope and ordinariness were violated.
But I worry about the reaction from leaders around the world. Our world changed dramatically after 9/11, and not for the better. I can feel the world shifting once again. Surely this is now the time to find another way to solve problems.
Ardysz published a thoughtful post just recently titled We’re the people. Go over and have a read. However I would like to take a quote from her blog, because I think her words are so wise.
In the coming weeks when we are listening to the various versions of the Malaysian Airline tragedy, let us all remember to keep cool heads and encourage our leaders to keep cool heads. Those who do these things are the minority, not ‘the people’. There are myriad options, other than war and bombs. Whoever shot that missile and killed 298 people, were desperate rebels, which in no way justifies their actions, and they should be accountable. But let us remember, those who pick up the pieces and rebuild and go on forever, are the people. It is just so, everywhere.
The news footage has shown us images of masked men with guns harassing the investigators at the crash site. But we have also seen the miners come to help search the site. We have seen locals laying flowers in tribute. It shows me that we have more things in common that we have things that divide us.
To leave you with another quote that is resonating with me:
Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.
Maya Angelou
I wish us peace.
Anne Lawson Art 
4 replies on “I wish us peace”
Well said, Anne. I totally agree that we have more things in common than we do differences. I was very moved by the miners in Ukraine going to help with such a grim task. Those poor people did not ask for any of this, the rebels, the plane coming down, none of it. I despair at times trying to figure out what people are thinking.
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Spot on. I was watching the ABC tonight and some villagers from near the crash site said they’d come to say prayers for the dead, and that they would come and say prayers every year. More than that commitment though, the thing that touched me was that they were so desperate for the world to know it wasn’t them, that they were not to blame for this awful tragedy. Simple people just wanting to live and let live. Sadly those simple people are never the ones who determine which direction our crazy politics will go. 😦
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Anne, what a lovely, heart-felt and introspective post. I agree with every word. Calmer heads should prevail, but history shows us they’ve not. I keep hoping, like you, this will change.
I’m appalled at the media coverage as well. Not much balance, lots of speculation, and the I even saw a post yesterday where a reporter staged a photo for emotional affect at the site. Appalling!
Thank you for this.
Here is one of my favorite quotes by Fred Rogers aka Mr. Rogers:
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
― Fred Rogers
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The care and grief shown by the local villagers for the dead has been the only redeeming aspect of this awful event. I’ve been very selective about my choice of media coverage particularly in this, more so than usual.
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