A move that can be made awarely for peace.
Posted by John on October 12, 2001 at 15:23:44:

In Reply to: Thich Nhat Hanh speaks out. posted by John on October 11, 2001 at 17:51:11:

Is it just a coincidence—in the midst of all that's going on now—that this is a historic spiritual time for people around the world of Muslim faith?—
equivalent in religious importance to Passover, for Jews, for instance, and even moreso to Easter, for Christians—the ascent of Mohammed to Heaven.

It is just a coincidence? Or is it a great cosmic opportunity!

In the midst of difficult and dangerous circumstances, the way of the awareness game is to watch, awarely, for opportunities to play, on purpose, for
peace and harmony. Under pressure, a player of this game is always on the look-out for a move that can be made, *decisively*, for peace. I think I see
such an opportunity right now.

I wish the President would let the world and the people of Afghanistan know that there will be no more bombing during this holy week. This could
be done by dropping leaflets in Afghanistan, in the form of a holy day greeting.

I wish the President would explain to them that, instead of bombs, this would be a week of drops of food, medicine, tents, and blankets, before the
winter comes in . . . . . and promise not to fire any weapons except if these relief planes are fired upon. Tell the people there to watch out for pallets of
food parachuting from the sky—so they don't get hurt by any of them (as that has happened in past relief efforts).

They have been seeing a week of war in Afghanistan. Let them see a week of peace. If relief planes aren't fired upon, they can fly lower and deliver
even more of the vital equipment needed for survival—kitchens, water stations, medical clinics, latrines, and stoves and fuel to provide heat in the
winter cold. Let this be a *great* relief effort, that is really done up right!

I wish the President would announce that all this is a gift from the people of America—men, women, and children of us—Christians, Muslims, Jews,
Buddhists, Hindus and all the rest of us in America, even non-sectarians of us, of all our many races, enumerating us all. Let him say this gift from us
to the people of Afganistan comes with our greetings, to commemorate and celebrate, with love and reverence, the ascent of Mohammed to Heaven.

Meanwhile, throughout this week, despicable things that have been done in America with anthrax may be coming into fuller and clearer view every
day—obvious and apparent, in high relief to the rest of the world.

If so, since it is done, let the people of the world see both sides of the future for the human race on this planet together, in a bright light during this
week. Let the world see both sides and compare them, side by side.

O great Mohammed, hear me please.
I am present here below, and I'm praying to you now.
If ever, from Heaven, you can
get through to us people here on Earth
—Afghanis, Americans, and everybody else—
it sure looks like this is the time for it,
here and now.

Humbly, awarely, and with love,

An old coach

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