Peace

Picked up this book from the library on the way home last week and really enjoyed it. It's a true-life account of an American Jew, Goldberg,who's also a reporter for The New Yorker who through his days as an Israeli prison guard, struck up a friendship with an Arab Muslim prisoner, Rajik, who was suspected of committing anti-semitic crimes.

Goldberg was trying to find a hope that there would be a day when Arabs and Jews could live side by side without wanting to kill one another. Even when the Oslo Peace Process fell through, and all hope of peaceful negotiation died with Ariel Sharon; through the build-up of hatred and violence culminating in September 11, Goldberg and Rajik met up frequently and held their own negotiations. I found it amazing because Goldberg was a Jew, Americanised no doubt but exposed to the violence that Palestinians inflict on his people. Rajik, more so, was rigidly strict in adhering to Islamic law. He was one of the top men in-charge of internal security in Fatah, another muslim group besides Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Neither were lukewarm or flippant about their beliefs and neither would ever think about conversion. Yet for the sake of peace, Goldberg studied the Quran and even attended a Madrasah. In the end, even though neither compromised on their beliefs, they managed to come to an understanding about one another's viewpoints and negotiate peace for their friendship. It was a very touching moment when Goldberg described how Rajik held his own child in his lap. An arab muslim man from a group defined as "terrorist" playing with an American Jewish child.

Really caused me to think about how people who're totally different in their interests, styles, beliefs, personalities etc. can get along. Often in school or in our groups of friends, we meet people who we can't agree with on important issues. What keeps that friendship going? It's when mutual respect is present and there's a willingness to hear each other out and learn from one another. Often our perspective on things make up our reality. If we think we're not loved for example, we'll act towards people in ways that assure our rejection. But it's when we're open to other viewpoints that our convictions are strengthened and our minds broadened to new ideas. There's always something to learn from everybody. In our pursuit for excellence, we often emulate the best like Obama, Martin Luther King, Ghandi etc. What if we also left space to learn from the people around us? Everyone has a story to tell. A housewife (your mom) could teach you about sacrifice and motherhood. A father (your own) could tell you about how hard it is to earn money. A grandfather could tell you about diligence and the importance of working hard with your own hands. A secondary schoolgirl could tell you about how to be a loyal friend who doesn't backstab (as my tuition kid does everytime). Even the person you find the most annoying and of no benefit to you whatsoever.. give them a chance to teach you something!