who can blame her?

     Well, I dont know Cindy Sheehan, as most of us don't--not really.  However, over the last few years, it's been almost impossible to not form some sort of opinion about this "face of the anti-war" movement.

     She's a mom who tragically lost a son in the war.  I cannot imagine a hurt deeper than that.  It's a hurt that most of us cannot fathom, and I hope never have to.  Determined to end the war and change our nation, she has been tireless in her efforts.  She has been a hero to some and an annoyance to others.  She has done a lot of things and been a lot of places...some, shall we say, ill-advised, in the opinion of many.

     According to her "letter of resignation", she feels she has made some lasting friendships, but feels also, that she has become a punching bag  and betrayed by those who have supported her and those who have not.  She is saddened that she has not been able to change our nation, because "they don't want to change."  But even more than that, she feels as if she has let her son down....Wow...that's quite a burden to carry.

     It seems a little naive to be disappointed that in 3 or 4 years that she has not been able to change the course of a country!  She hasn't been able to stop a war!  To top it off, she seems hurt and confused that people turned against her when she no longer met their expectations or spoke what they wanted to hear.  People are fickle.  People use you to their own ends.  People change their minds.  It's one of the reasons that Jesus himself refrained from "giving himself to them (the very ones that were singing his praises) because he knew what was in man." We are so capable of treachery, deceit and betrayal.  I'm sorry she was surprised and hurt by that.  I guess we all are from time to time.  We have short memories.

     But to be also disappointed that she didnt change an entire nation in a very short time is a little harder to believe...even Jesus didnt do that!  I have travelled a bit in third world countries, where I would love to snap my fingers and see some of the atrocities abolished overnight.  I live in Japan, a country with a thriving economy and many good things happening, as in the states, yet it's frustratingly slow to watch things try to change...no matter how good our intentions might be.  Where there are deep-seated traditions, and strongheld beliefs, where government officials vary in their agendas and intentions....there must be a slow, committed, faithful trudging forward with the expectation that sooner or later good will win out.  But in a world where good and evil are held differently in the eyes of the people and the ways of accomplishing these things are by no means unanimously agreed upon...we need to use a different approach if we want to change a culture.

     The more you fight and accuse, the more polarized people get.  No one is going to be willing to sit down and talk with you if you are abusive or unwise in your tactics.  Certainly the principle of sowing and reaping is familiar to many-that we reap what we sow.  So, if we sow hurt and anger and fear and hatred, that's what we will reap, no matter what our intentions are.  We never solve anything by blaming and hating.  That approach resembles a bull in a china shop. All he accomplishes is creating panic and breaking things.  The more you panic as you try to remove him, the more disaster you create. 

    Unfortunately, it seems that Cindy Sheehan has lashed out in her hurt and anger, along with many other hurtful emotions that are common in experiencing such a tragedy as she has experienced.  Of course I don't know of anyone that would begrudge her her grief or who doesn't have some modicum of compassion for her loss.  I just believed she would have better served her purpose to resolve those issues privately and gained strength from them to move forward.  In order to produce real and lasting change, one must project what he or she is trying to accomplish.  Otherwise, you just attract more of what you dont want, which is exactly what has happened.

    Mother Theresa is quoted as saying, in response to an invitaion to an anti-war rally, "I will never attend an anti-war rally.  When you have a peace rally, invite me."  She is a person who projected peace.  Within herself, she was firm in her faith, firm in her convictions, and faithful in her tireless efforts to change the circumstances that grieved her heart.  When someone is always fighting against something, it is easy to get weary.  It is understandable that Cindy Sheehan wants to quit.

     I hope this gives her the time to grieve in a way that ultimately brings healing to her and her family.  Studies have shown that our brains function better when we are calm and peaceful...when we are angry, we do and say some pretty random things.  Strength from a center of peace and tranquility is true power-the kind that never tires and never burns out-the kind that knows it will win.

     Strength from physical inertia ignited by hatred and anger and fear, certainly gets the adrenalin going and may burn brightly and loudly for a time, but eventually flickers out, leaving only a trail of ashes.  In the end, we draw to ourselves what we put out there.  We cast our bread on the water and it comes back to us. 

     Cindy Sheehan, I wish you peace.

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