Musings on War...

I don’t consider myself a very emotional person. Sometimes, as life has taught me to, I take even bad things objectively. But I didn’t realize that the war in Iraq could touch a raw nerve with me. Terrorism, violence have all become a part of our lives and I guess I have become desensitized to it to an extent. But today, I was talking with a newly-wed friend of mine and it was just casual conversation. In fact, we were conversing light heartedly about happy, simple things in life. My friend made a passing comment that her husband was due to go on National Guard duty to Iraq and she was just telling me how much she was going to miss not seeing him for a year or more. Somehow, more than all the stories and images on TV and news, her simple statement jarred me out of my insularity. I still don’t know why it disturbed me a lot but suddenly the war seemed much closer to heart. I could imagine dreams, homes and lives being thrown askew because of a war fought so much farther from home. So have I relinquished arms like Ashoka did more than 2000 years earlier and renounced war? No. I still believe that some wars are necessary and no amount of personal or emotional trauma should prevent those wars. After all, only 137 years in recorded history have been without any war and to wish for everlasting peace is utopian. But I guess this incident has mellowed my brazen objectivity and I am grateful for it. And it seems also stupid to say this but I am going to: I think now I KNOW what made Ashoka throw his weapons away and renounce life.