What is the Path to Peace?
Days ago, a friend of mine lost her dear husband, she has no place to hide from the trauma and grief. The pain is there when she goes to bed, and if she can sleep at all, it’s there in the morning when she wakes. Meanwhile, Russian tanks are grinding into Ukrainian villages destroying homes, families, and lives. Again, more trauma and grief 24 hours a day. On a personal note, my life is unsettled at the moment. True, my problems pale compared to those above, but I still can’t sleep at night.
The Ukrainian banner is now a modern symbol of perseverance in the face of personal and collective trauma. The flag reminds me of my minimalist, nearly abstract photographs and paintings. Both suggest a horizon line, with perhaps, canola or wheat below and the sky above. My home state of Kansas has been referred to as the “breadbasket”, and Ukraine is regarded as the breadbasket of Europe and the Middle East, therefore I feel a kinship.
My new image, Path to Peace, suggests that though the passage is faint and difficult to discern, the direction is usually straight forward. The simple plan says, put one foot in front of the other, and trust the ground will meet your step. I realize this is overly simplistic advice for people who have been visited by existential horror. When my son died years ago, I couldn’t stand up, much less, walk. Though the forward path is straight, it’s not necessarily easy. Suffering people need assistance. Those of us who’ve got our balance can help.
These horizon-line images are my personal attempt to create equanimity in a stressful world.