Pondering the silliness of war.

I’ve been acclimated to war. Forever, it seems. Ever since I was a youngster. Always seemed like war was a vital part of life. I was 6 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. My uncle went off to war. I read about war. Often, it was glamorized. And made to seem patriotic. But I’ve long thought of war as idiotic. Unnecessary. Undesirable. Immoral. I’d think that by now the human species would have found alternatives to war. Guess not. We must be slow learners. Because war really is gawd-awful. Yet it persists. I wonder if there ever was a day in the past few thousand years when there wasn’t an active war. Many of ‘em absolutely senseless wars. I wonder how many lives have been lost in wars. Billions and billions, I’m sure. Makes me wonder if we’re all barbarians. War-mongers. The fact that we tolerate wars. Actually encourage wars as legitimate solutions to political and social problems. I would think that in a civil society, we’d find ways to avert wars. Or maybe there’s no such thing as a civil society. We’re just plain uncivil. To each other. Anyway, I’ve never fought in a war. I’ve been in the Army. Played soldier. Yes, I’ve been lucky. Never in danger of getting my head blown off. That must be a hard way to die. Albeit, quick. You don’t have time to ponder what hit you. Fortunately, I’ve lived long enough to ponder the silliness of war. –Jim Broede