In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
- John McCrae -
I've been a leader of people for many years across various roles; I believe some are built for it, have natural attributes that lean them towards leadership, and others are followers. All good leaders will be able to learn from others, evaluate good and bad examples, and apply that knowledge to becoming a better leader. This new series is designed to expose great quotes by various leaders and to investigate how they may relate or apply to myself or others. original im src
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I'm doing something different for this weeks' leadership post and instead of a quote I'm using a poem.
Over the last few weeks, I've been thinking about war and peace and life and loss; thinking on those things pulls my mind backwards to the past but always makes me think about the future as well. I have no children of my own, but I have a niece in her early twenties and a niece and nephew both under seven years old and I wonder, what might the world look like for them moving forward into the future. No matter how desperately I want the future to look bright for them though, to me it looks bleak.
The poem above is a well-known war poem called, In Flanders Fields, written during the First World War by Canadian, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, who was serving on the Western Front near Ypres, Belgium at the time of writing.
It speaks of soldiers' sacrifice, death and the passing on of the fight, (quarrel) and that should the reader not do so, pick up the torch, the dead, those who have sacrificed their lives in war and for a cause, will not be able to rest. It is a powerful poem written in a moment of sorrow, pain and hopelessness, after a battle in the Ypres Salient and the day after McCrae had lost a close friend to battle. I have used it as motivation for my post today which simply serves to ask questions.
Do you think you could count the cost in human lives wars have caused since the beginning of time? I mean soldiers and civilians both. It's impossible, however I know enough about history and war to know that the number is vast.
Similarly, do you think you could calculate the return on investment for those expended lives across all wars? Think about it...All those wars and what have we got for it in return? Peace and harmony? That's a laughable concept for certain! No...all we have is more wars in a seemingly endless cycle of humanity V humanity.
What do you think we've learned from all those wars and the multitudes of deaths they have caused?
Have we learned to get along together? Have we learned understanding, tolerance and patience and that there's better ways to solve our differences? Have we learned to release greed, ego and hubris? Have we learned how to be more kind, humble and generous towards each other? Have we learned anything at all from those wars and all that death? Well yeah of course, we've learned how to develop more efficient ways to wage war and to kill each other.
If someone answers that humanity has learned positive lessons that have been applied in a wholesale manner around the globe then I have another question; Why then are there wars, conflicts and unrest still?
So no, I think humanity have generally not learned the valuable lessons history delivers nor have they learned that wars are completely avoidable. Shame on you humans, shame.
We don't have a very bright future in my opinion, humankind; that's pessimistic I know and sure, optimism exists, but optimism without affirmative action is pointless...and there's still wars and conflicts so the action, if any, is not having a positive or lasting effect. But how does this relate to leadership?
We're all leaders and all have the responsibility to lead.
Imagine that concept for a moment:
"We are all leaders and have the ability and responsibility to lead lives that promote global harmony and peace - a one-world vibe - and to lead lives that carry us towards it on a day by day basis."
If this was to happen, if every single person on the planet released greed and ego, didn't covet what others had, used a need over want ethos, and worked towards unity of mankind rather than the destruction of it I'd say things would look better now and into the future. But...does everyone do so? Do you? The responsibility rests on everyone's shoulders, it's a global responsibility, but that begins on a smaller scale...With you, with me and with everyone else that shares the planet.
What does your life look like and how do you lead yourself and others to a better future, by example? I often say, the answers for the problems of the present and future lay in the past. Do you draw on the past to affect the present and future?
We have the ability to learn from the mistakes made previously, they're right there for us to see, and can change our behaviours...but we do not...because there are still wars being fought. We could make it so however, all lead by example, lead better lives and lead mankind towards a brighter and better future, but will we? Will you be one of those leaders?
I don't hold much hope for the future and feel that mankind is incapable of peace...I mean generally, not you or I specifically.
From the first moment a caveman threw a stone or swung a stick at someone else in anger, or because he wanted what the other one had, humanity were doomed. We still do it now too, throw sticks and stones with intent to cause harm, it is our way; the sticks and stones are a little more sophisticated nowadays though.
What are your thoughts?
I don't mean what's going on in your little microcosm, I mean where do you think humankind is headed considering its inability to find lasting peace or cease to do war upon each other. What sort of life do you lead and is it one which leads you and others towards a one-world-community paradigm? What thoughts and actions do you lead yourself and others towards? Why do you think wars keep occurring over and over again and why don't we ever seem to learn from the last one, just look for the next one? Feel free to comment below.
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Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
