Passing the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, we consider the
far-too numerous conflicts that are sustained around the globe. We may wonder
about the prospects for peace in humanity. What does peace require?
As the olive branch is a long-standing symbol of peace, we look to this tree for keys. Well-tended, regularly pruned olive trees yield crops for
generations; some trees have produced fruit for over a millennium! Peace
likewise requires cultivation and constant attention. Old growth such as customs
and traditions that are no longer viable, along with disintegrated values, need
to be pruned to favour the emergence of healthier values of cooperation,
collaboration, and a true justice.
It is almost impossible to propagate olive trees by seeds; there is more success
in rooting and planting healthy branches from an existing tree. Similarly, in
human experience, we find no “magic seeds” of peace. Human beings, as “branches”
of humanity, have to first cultivate peace within their own hearts, evidenced in
relationships with other humans. Individuals who understand and experience the
efforts that true peace requires, can set down the first roots of community or
nation-wide peace.
Since olive trees take 12 – 15 years to bear fruit after planting, to offer an
olive branch indicates a commitment to peace and an investment in the future.
This reminds us that there are no quick fixes or short cuts to peace. Time is
needed for reconciliation, for wounds to heal, and for social structures to be
built and stabilized.
Olive trees – along with their by-products – have been treated as sacred by many
cultures, civilizations, and religions. Let us consider that peace may be better
established when there is a transcendent vision of life. When our relations with
other people and nations are founded on the acknowledgement that they also have
a sacrosanct place in the universe, our efforts of establishing harmonized
co-existence will be conducted in a more lasting light.
Let our human endeavours, in daily life and towards building a more peaceful
future, be inspired by the abundant symbols offered by Nature.
