Comments on: It Could Have Been Me

By: ted

ted — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:49:11 +0000

Barbi, Peter, Bill, Thanks for responding.
I think you are all right.
I consider my best days, are those that I can see that everyone is pedalling just about as fast as they can; their intentions are as honorable that day as mine; and they get up, wanting/hoping to be a blessing to the world on that day, just as I do. I strive for a greater percentage of those days…..

By: Bill Mayhall

Bill Mayhall — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:28:14 +0000

Ted: I was sent to Germany in 1953 as a member of the 10th Special Forces Group Airborne. Talking to German civilians, at first, wasn’t a big priority, although I enrolled in a class to learn German. After seeing what WWII did to so many German men (Many, many one armed, or one legged), and talking to former soldiers, I understood much better how Hitler won people over with his talk of Germany again rising to the top. The country, following WWI, for many years had suffered inflation and depression, and Hitler’s promises must have sounded great. In the early 50’s, half of cities like Munich were still bombed out and, at that time, little attempt to rebuild had been made. In my last year there I met many German civilians, and learned to love them. While a young child, the movies we saw pictured all Germans (and Japanese) as quite evil and inhuman. We had many former German soldiers in our special forces group…some of whom were forced into the German army as young as 14. When will we learn that war as a solution is a lose-lose game….in terms of human resources, both sides suffering immensely…and substitute deeper meditation for it, which, if it works can, possibly, turn into a win-win none-zero sum game, in terms of developing trading partners and allies.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:02:48 +0000

Hi Ted,
I never knew of your connection to those times. I appreciate your sharing your stories, thoughts and feelings. I too, have always felt that I was capable of anything depending on my environment, my circumstances, and my life experience. It does help me not to judge others on a grander scheme. Now if I could just stop judging others about little things…I recently have been practicing forgiving myself for judging others (when i am even aware that I am doing it). This somehow seems to help.
all my best,
Peter

By: Barbi White

Barbi White — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:14:20 +0000

Ted: a moving thought. In the last few years, I have listened to many tragic stories and thought, given the same experiences that these people went through, I could have done the same things….your story takes that to a more global level. Is true compassion birthed in this realization?