When I was in Northern Ireland, I signed the Peace Wall on the Irish Catholic side. This was a big deal because my last name is Rankin. My ancestors were Scot-Irish and even though they fought in the Siege of Derry against the English, they were also protestant, and that was the other side of the wall.
We were riding around Belfast in a Black Taxi, whose driver was a member of the IRA. It was from him we heard the stories of suffering, terrible violence, and suppression as we visited the Catholic section of the city. There we saw murals painted with heroes’ faces and the IRA Museum filled with the horrors of the Troubles, as the war between the Catholics and Protestants was known.
It was after the time the barriers were lifted between Ireland and Northern Ireland, the time after the fighting, a time of edgy peace.
When we stopped along the wall, on the Catholic side, and our driver handed us markers to sign our names on the wall. I hesitated only long enough to say a prayer to and for my ancestors. I prayed that they be released from their suffering and any beliefs that hold them to conflict. I prayed for a healing between the people of my ancestors and the people I stood with that day.
As I signed my name, I felt the healing taking place, a deep healing within me that was helping to heal old and deep wounds among the people of this magical island.
Later that day, I was inside the museum of a church. When the curator learned my last name, he became quite excited. He took me into the chapel to show me a large stained-glass window. “This is your ancestor’s window,” he said. He was killed in the siege. It was his wife who had the window made in his honor.”
As I looked at the window, a portal opened. I saw my ancestor standing proud. He tipped his fingers to his forehead and gave a slight smile. I felt healing of my ancestral line, healing of ancient wounds that scar over until we peel back the wound and fill it with love.
Whether we are helping to heal a nation divided or healing a war between nations or healing our own relationships or our hearts, peace begins with love. We cannot expect to have peace in the world until we first have peace in our hearts. We cannot expect to have love among peoples of all nations until we have love for the person who sits across the breakfast table from us every day, or the person we face on the other side of our desk or phone, or the driver who cuts us off, or the slow person in front of us at the grocery story, or…
We claim we want peace. We can have peace, but to have peace we must first create love in our own hearts. It is the only way.
Interesting story, thanks for sharing.
Love,
Big Brother