"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war"

The essence of this idea is that those who are most intimately involved in the horrors of war—soldiers—are the ones who most fervently desire peace. They endure the true, gritty reality of conflict and, as a result, experience the heaviest burdens and suffer the most profound injuries, both physical and mental.

To give you a bit of historical context, General Douglas MacArthur famously said this. He was a highly decorated officer of the United States Army and had firsthand experience of the brutal nature of battlefields, having served in both World War I and World War II, as well as the Korean War. His perspective wasn’t just theoretical—it was deeply personal and informed by years of service and the loss of many comrades.

Let’s dive into a vivid real-life example. Think about a young soldier deployed in Afghanistan, say in 2010. This soldier, let’s call him Jake, sees his fellow soldiers injured by IEDs (improvised explosive devices). The camaraderie that forms in such dangerous times is intense, and witnessing friends getting hurt or worse can leave deep emotional scars. Jake himself might have narrowly escaped death several times. These experiences don’t just disappear once he returns home; they stay with him, shaping his understanding of life and peace. Jake might become an advocate for peace, focusing on diplomacy and conflict resolution because he knows just how brutal warfare can be.

So, how do you apply this wisdom in daily life? Well, whenever you’re faced with conflict—be it at work, in your personal relationships, or within your community—remember Jake. Consider the long-term impacts of engaging in a battle and weigh them heavily against the benefits of finding peaceful solutions. Aim to understand the perspectives and experiences of those who might be affected the most. It’s about empathy and thinking beyond the immediate.

Imagine you’re in a heated argument with a close friend. You’re both entrenched in your positions, and it feels like neither of you is willing to back down. But then you think of Jake and the weight of war. You realize that winning the argument is less important than preserving the friendship. So, you take a step back, breathe, and decide to listen—really listen—to what your friend is saying. You find that, often, the root of the conflict is a misunderstanding or a clash of values that can be navigated with patience and empathy.

All of this boils down to the human desire for connection and harmony. Just as the soldier’s yearning for peace is born from the harshness of war, our own desires for serenity come from experiencing conflict. By keeping this in mind, we can strive to approach our own disputes with the same wisdom, always remembering that the cost of peace is far less than the price of war.

So, next time you find yourself in a conflict, big or small, channel your inner soldier. Remember the scars that fighting can leave and choose the path of understanding and peace. You’ll find that life is a lot richer and relationships a lot stronger when built on the foundations of empathy and compassion.