A Small World

So I had a lot to think and ponder about this past week, and there were a couple things that stood out to me the most. We live in such a large and complicated world of politics, feuds, differences among cultures, and religious beliefs that we don't understand and therefore ignore or condone. I'm living for the first time in my life in a different place. And it happens to be on the other side of the world. Isn't that an awe inspiring phrase? "Other side of the world?" It's difficult to believe you can actually get to the other side of the world. And the other side for one person, is actually your side.

I went the other day to a WWII cemetery. It was an American cemetery in the middle of England. Here were over 3000 graves of American soldiers who had lost their lives fighting for not just their country, but for the people of other countries. They were fighting not just for a piece of land or one people, but for an idea. The idea that every person in this world deserves freedom, and the opportunity to live life. They gave their lives for people they would never meet. There were rows and rows of white marble grave stones, marking the purity of the sacrifice these men and women had readily given. They left behind a great legacy. Not of themselves, but in the cause they fought for and finally won. They bravely stood next to brothers and sisters in arms who they had never met, but who they would never forget.

3000 is a large number. But even more than that is 5000. That's the number of names on the wall along the cemetery, listing the men and women who fell but were never found. Altogether, there were more than 8000 names in this cemetery, of American soldiers who left their home, came to Europe, and gave their lives in the name of freedom for all.

One of the things that impressed me the most was our guide who told us the history of this cemetery. He was British. But yet every day he stood and told the stories of these American soldiers now resting in British ground. In a cause, in a war, it doesn't matter what country you're from, or what you believe. You're all the same. Our guide told us, "In death, everyone is equal." Because of this belief, the graves are buried randomly through out the cemetery. They aren't buried according to name, race, rank, or belief. Because it doesn't matter. The majority of the grave markers were crosses, but sporadically through out you could spot a Star of David, signifying one of Jewish faith. A cross next to the star of David. To me, seeing these differences peacefully side by side, was beautiful.

The world isn't as large as we think it is.

"In death, everyone is equal." I think this should be the same for life. Don't you?