Conflict and Aggression

With the conflict in Gaza and Israel recently and the death rates rising every day. The peace talks that result in a "cease fire" which never seems to last as long as they promise it will. . . Has me thinking about conflict and aggression in general.

  That small thing that bugs you to no end. 

That little pesky annoyance that just grinds your gears. 

That person that just constantly pushes your buttons, even though you've talked to them numerous times about them not to do so, yet they persist. 

That irritation you feel about something not being quite right even if you can't lay your finger on exactly why it isn't right. 

The depression, annoyance and anger that comes when you learn of the hatred and things people are doing in a criminal mindset. The death. Hurt. Pain. So much pain. Blood. So much blood, everywhere.

The cruelty. Oh the humanity!

So how do we reverse it, not to accept something is happening, but to make ourselves feel better?
For me it boils down to a few home truths. Things I do to try and avoid something happening.

The act of trying to ignore something is happening, even though it continues to do so is a baffling thing. It is like the original problem doesn't exist in your head, but in the real life it does still exist. Thinking back about Gaza and the conflict there. The children who grow up in war zones and have that as their normal environment. The constant fear of death, loss, trauma. Seeing death and dying first hand. It's something most people (like me) can't really understand or fathom, because we're not there. We don't live that constantly. We are shown snippets in the media and it looks bad to us, but it's not our reality. We can go to work or school or church without the constant harrowing fear of being bombed while we are there.

I guess it is like this for people who migrate to a new country as well, their homeland may be in any state, but their new country isn't like the old one. But the psychological problems can persist for a long time - maybe months, it could be years.

avoidance

   

a·void·ance

  [uh-void-ns] 

noun

1.

the act of avoiding or keeping away from: the avoidance of  scandal; the avoidance of one's neighbors.

2.

Law. a making void; annulment.

Reference taken from: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/avoidance