How to End All Wars IV

One of my first memories is when I was very young. I’m guessing I was about one, one and a half. I don’t know how I could be so young and remember, but I must have been that little, or I couldn’t have fit through an empty window-pane in an old-fashioned French door.

We had a sun room off the living room, and the French doors were between the two rooms. My brother Sid was about nine, and my sister Eleanor about seven. They would play Easy Money on the floor in the sun room with the doors closed. Of course, I always wanted to be where they were.

One pane of glass in the French doors was missing, and I would crawl through that empty pane so that I could be with my brother and sister and play too. Although I don’t remember even one of the times I crawled in, I know I did it all the time. I do remember my anticipation and complete happiness as I passed through the empty pane and made it into the sunroom. I don’t remember what happened after I got in either, though I can imagine I messed up my brother and sister’s game.

But I remember so well this one time I’m going to tell you about.

I crawled over to the French doors. Not until I was actually trying to put my head through did I catch on that the empty pane was firmly blocked with a piece of heavy cardboard. I tried every way I could to get through. I could see to the other side, my brother and sister having a good time without me. I sat on the floor crying. I couldn’t understand. My joy had turned from puzzlement, outrage, to that awful realization that I wasn’t always wanted. In fact, I wasn’t wanted at all. I wasn’t wanted.

There wasn’t someone else at the time who was going to pick me up, give me a lollipop, and get my mind off my troubles.

This reminds me of something going on in America right now.

There’s a French door with America, the sun room on one side and Mexico on the outside. All of the panes of glass in the French door are being plastered so it’s hard, if not impossible, to get through. That’s how it seems to me.

Many many forwards get sent to me, and some really hurt my heart. Like the ones I’ve been receiving from some fine spiritual individuals and groups who are adamant that it should not only be hard to enter this country, but also that those who have been living here, their children in school etc. should be evicted because they didn't have a piece of paper and risked their lives to get here. Why would anyone go to such trouble unless they had to? And what would anyone do in a situation where their children are hungry?

I do understand that managing the growth of immigration has its difficulties, but so what?

I would rather have the difficulties of immigration than be hungry somewhere.

I would rather have the difficulties of immigration than be kicked out of what is my home now in a country I valued enough to leave my own land for.

I would rather have the difficulties of immigration than even think of advocating kicking people out and letting them go hungry.

I would rather have the difficulties of immigration than even think of building fences.

I would rather have the difficulties of immigration than be proud of thinking of ways to disrupt other people’s lives.

I have heard the expression: Go home. But what if there is no home to go to? What if they are like me as a young child, and there is no one at the time to pick them up and help them?

My parents were immigrants – it was a whole lot easier then – and I know that they were looked down upon.

How brave people are to come to a new country.

I seem to remember a story about a couple in Jerusalem who were told there was no room at the inn.

So, here’s my solution, one that will not only stop this border controversy but stop all the wars in the world and bring in peace everywhere as well. Why didn’t I think of this before? I don’t see how this one can miss. Here it is:

We declare the world a church!

If the world were a church, wouldn’t we move over in the pew to make room for someone else to sit?

If the world were a church, wouldn’t we say, “Welcome, bienvenidos, peace be unto you."

If the world were a church, wouldn’t we feed those who are hungry?

If the world were a church, wouldn’t we treat our neighbor as we would want them to treat us?

Did not God create this world? Is it not supposed to be like His church? Isn’t there enough sun for all?

So, yes, my new idea is to make the world all one church, non-denominational, of course. The world would become a temple without walls! The world would become a holy place! Even in the relative world then, there would be Oneness, and no one would think of keeping anyone out of the sunlight.

What do you think? Can we make this work?