Conflict @ MindSay

Hello ..... it's been a long, long time....

 

After my last return, we had the inevitable Holidays, and following those I managed to chip a bone in my foot. We are having a most bizarre winter here in Nova Scotia, warm raining days, followed by freezing ice and snow, melting high temps, then more ice .... as a result we've had record numbers of broken bones in our ER. I happened to be one of them, though minor, I chipped bone in my heal. It had me in bed and literally on ice for a few weeks. However now I am back to work, and other than some pain when I am on my feet to much, am doing better.

 

While resting in my forced break, I was reminded of the "pain" of daytime television. What pitiful stuff to have to watch when there is little else to do. I read as much as I could, and without a lap top could only spend a little time on the computer. I napped, I talked to the dogs, phoned people not working, but until my 14 year old came home from school, for the most part I was stuck with the TV for "entertainment". As the days went by I grew less and less tolerent of what is being projected as entertaining. Other than "Oprah", it all seems to be conflict - conflict with other people, conflict with our own bodies, conflict with the law, in politics, with religons, in schools, with loved ones. Dr. Phil, who I used to enjoy on occasion had almost every show about "conflict". I wondered, since when did "conflict with the world" become the norm ? Did I miss that decade? What happened to good manners, kindness, compassion, and just plain common sense ? Maybe that's why most days I feel like I'm "just not getting it", because conflict is a rare thing in my life, and when it happens, I try to resolove it quickly, or after a little venting make a concious choice to let go, but rarely do I hold onto it for very long. Certainly not long enough to take to court before Judge Judy, or to Dr. Phil, or to really even mention to anyone in particular. My conflict belongs to me, I either caused it, or am part of the cause if I am involved in it, so it's up to me to my part to fix conflict, not take it elsewhere and make it bigger.

 

Perhaps that's why so many people look outside themsleves for help. As children, at least in my "generation", just past the baby-boom, we didn't have particularly good role models for conflict resolution, and didn't pass it on to the Yuppie's, the X-generation, and whatever we are calling it these days. The model now seems to be to spread it as wide and far as you can, or blame thyself, or take it to a public forum, or fight it out on TV ....and the list goes on. Maybe that's why everyone in my workplace ... grown adults and professionals, were to attend a "conflict resolution" one day seminar. Imagine! Since all I do all day is help resolve conflict, I could abstain from the 1200.00 a day "consultant's" program ... oh I have to laugh, or cry .... aha- a conflict!! LOL!!

 

So now it is the middle of February. That awful month, short but snotty!! One never knows what February brings in my part of the world, it's unpredictable and like my now 15 year old (on Feb. 11), is forever changing it's mind and clothes. I think February must be an adolescent, glum one day, overjoyed the next, dealing with constant changes, funny, annoying, lovable yet will drive one to drink!!! Oh well, it'll soon be March ... and I turn 50 in March...accckkkk. That's a whole other blog, but I am actually celebrating it with lots of fun, friends, sex, and a great photoshoot I just had for that little Vaudevill/Burlesque Troop/Mae West thing I am doing. (See new pic on Blog). 

 

Here's hoping my blog buddies will know I am still alive, and now kicking again. Stay off the ice, and I'll be back soon.....

 

Namaste

Heather

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So the early morning work out went well...the piano practicing not so much.

 

I am becoming such a loner it seems. : / I guess I was before, I just didn't notice it as much....I don't think I mind all that much honestly. By nature I am not some super socializing person...however, I wonder if my loner ways are simply a defense mechanism...gah, I am getting too deep over here, save me!!

 

I want June to get here...but then again, something inside me is saying, "You can't just run away from problems, you have to deal with them" And so, I grit my teeth and make myself live in the present and deal with what needs to be dealt with. Otherwise, the same cycles and issues will keep on arising over and over again and will effect me and those around me until they are dealt with. I know this to be true because I have seen it in the lives of older people around me and they've told me, if they had just dealt with it the first time around, they wouldn't be where they are at...

 

I have spent a lot of my life afraid of conflict. I've always wanted to be the "nice" one...easy to get along, etc. However, this has come back to haunt me. There is a difference between being a nice person and yet not being afraid to call someone/something out and say, "That's not right..." If they hate me for doing that, then so be it...I didn't need their approval in the first place. In fact, I really do not need anyone but God's approval. Is this an excuse to rebel and buck authority? Absoulutely NOT! This doesn't give me permission to go hay wire, say "Screw you and your ideas!" And go on my own merry way. No, this is just to say that if I feel something is unjust, I shouldn't be afraid to respectfully voice my opinion, be heard and perhaps bring about change. This also goes for saying that oh so difficult word, "No." But I'll save that whole topic for another time...

 

So yes, just one of the areas that I am working on...once again, I am being dismantled and the repair part is coming...

 

I have a feeling most of my blogs are going to be a rambling mess like this one, but oh well.

 

 

IMPORTANT: Btw, this is all a lot easier said, err written, then done and I am in no way close to being the person I know I am supposed to be, nor do I have it all worked out, so incase anyone read this and thinks that I do, think again, I most certianly do not, I just know the person who does :]]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several times this year I have been assailed by the ANU's 'Socialist Alternative', asking me to sign a petition to remove Australia's armed forces from Iraq.

 

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. Aren't these the same guys who opposed the Iraq War on moral grounds? This petition seems as immoral as it is naive*.

 

Now, I understand that there is a lot of doubt today over the war, particularly in regards to its wisdom, morality, methods and potential consequences. But to me, all that is irrelevant in relation to this question. The fact is, what has happened has happened, and is irreversible. The focus now has got to be the best possible result for the citizens of Iraq and the rest of the world.

 

It's really elementary. You can't just invade and bomb a country, with the goal of reconstructing it, and then pull out a few years later because everything is too fucked up. I'd tend to think that the US and its allies have a responsibility to stay there until Iraq is actually functioning properly again.

 

Even if you don't believe in concepts like responsibility and duty, look at the consequences of a troop withdrawal. The violence that is going on at the moment is only going to get worse (the place is essentially in a civil war state at the moment, especially between shi'ite and sunni groups), with the lack of military force to combat it (the Iraqi army is still developing and not considered able to do the job themselves at this stage) - therefore, the only conclusion one can reach is that Jihadists and Saddam Hussein supporters would achieve control of the country.

 

Is that a good or bad result? I'm pretty sure it's not a good one. Saddam Hussein's regime wasn't the way it was because the guy was 'evil', it required many other like-minded people for it to function in the first place. Isn't it reasonable to suggest that if such people regain control, Iraq would revert to an undemocratic, tyrannical nation that poses a threat to the region and the west, plus being a haven of terrorism? Which kind of sounds like the reason it was invaded in the first place.

 

I think it is important to look at the methods of the groups involved anyhow. Do you really want control of the nation in the hands of groups that aren't afraid to attack and use terrorist tactics against their fellow citizens in order to achieve their ends? The alternative that the 'coalition' forces are offering, if they have a prospect of succeeding, is a democratic nation (albeit 'a supporter of American Imperialist goals', as some socialists might darkly mutter) that could be an important tool in achieving some stability in the middle east.

 

I wonder if this 'Socialist Alternative' group considered all this before they started handing out petitions on campus? Or are they clinging to the naive belief that everything will fix itself up if foreign forces simply leave?

 

It all seems like such a convenient solution really... out of sight, out of mind - perhaps they won't feel guilty about what's going on in Iraq if Australian troops are no longer involved. Or, maybe they see it as a victory for the Iraqi people if the 'insurgents' win. I wonder if the families of the civilians blown up in marketplaces would see it as such a victory if the committers of those acts gain control?

 

All I know is, the only saving grace for this petition is that it will never actually achieve anything. Otherwise, it would be downright irresponsible. To say the least.

 

 

 

*Now, obviously the removal of Australian soldiers would have little, if any, bearing on the conflict. However, it is the principle of the thing that is important, just like the principle that many people opposed when Australian troops were committed in the first place. And, clearly the goal of such groups is to have all coalition forces removed from Iraq, not just Australians.

It's really true.  Often when I have time to sleep, I find myself completely awake (i.e. the time when most of the world sleeps... like right now).  At the same time, I often find myself very tired and sleepy at times when I am absolutely unable to sleep/rest.  Go figure.  In any case, I find myself in this sort of situation tonight... physically tired, but mentally alert and thinking (I do my best thinking when I ought to be sleeping).  It only seems appropriate, then, to share something which I came across in another somewhat sleepless night:

As I mentioned last week, I'm currently reading Brother Andrew's newest book, Light Force.  Whereas Andrew's previous books have dealt largely with his missionary efforts in communist nations and Africa, this one talks about the Middle East and the role of the Christian church in the conflict raging there.  Saturday night, I found myself unable to sleep, so I picked up the book and started reading.  It can be very disheartening to read of things happening in other parts of the world.  The book was published in 2004, so the most recent developments in the region aren't even reflected in it's pages, yet the picture it paints is very bleak.  It made me think about recent conversations here on Mindsay, dealing with the idea of peace plans for the Middle East.  I've always thought it interesting that so many people today think they have the answer to a conflict that is many hundred of years old.

Now I'm not exactly sure what I think about all of this.  I have some opinions, but I don't care to share them now, and I'm not necessarily looking to make a statement with the scripture I'm about to share, but I did find it intriguing that I came across this just after reading from Brother Andrew's book and thinking about these issues.  As many of you know, my nightly tradition before bed is to open my Bible to a random page and read (I'm always amazed at how God can speak to me through these seemingly "random" passages).  Saturday night, this is what I saw:

Then the angel said to me, "Shout this message for all to hear: 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong.  But I am very angry with the other nations that enjoy peace and security.  I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations punished them far beyond my intentions.  Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem, My Temple will be rebuilt, says the Lord Almighty, and plans will be made for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.'  Say this also: 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.'"
                                            -Zechariah 1:14-17 (NLT)

This really spoke to me, not because it offers a solution or explains anything, but because it reminds us that God is very much present and in control, even when we have difficulty seeing it.  Zechariah (and many of the other prophets in the Old Testament) read a lot like Brother Andrew's book.  The truth is, things haven't changed that much in the last 2,000+ years.  Notice what God says there: "the nations punished them far beyond my intentions."  There it is again, that pesky free will... but God was in charge and actively working in those situations, and I truly believe that is the case today as well, even when situations (especially in that part of the world), seem especially (if not impossibly) difficult.

Just a little food for thought at 2:02 AM... back to trying to sleep.