Wounds and Scars

The WW I Memorial in the Churchyard
at St. Andrew's & St. Mary's
Grantchester

It is hard to avoid. In nearly every town and village of any size, any traditional there is in a public square or in the churchyard a monument to “The Great War.” That phrase has a particular meaning here in Great Britain. It refers to World War I. Here that war began in 1914 and lasted for four horrific years. The United States did not enter the war until 1917, and while America's participation may have played a significant role in bringing that war to an end, the allied nations of Europe paid a terrible price. The United Kingdom alone lost 744,000 combat dead with nearly twice that number wounded. The war touched nearly every town, every family in the nation. The moral wounds were deep and were only beginning to heal when yet another war threatened the very existence of the nation itself.

As Americans, we often debate “existential threats” to our own homeland. Here, in Britain, the scars of these kinds of wounds dot the countryside and mar elements of its cityscape. Reflecting on scars like these, however, helps us remember hard-fought battles and provide a lens that allows us to see that people can find strength within even when they may not have recognized it was there – strength that usually emerges from a sense of solidarity – a sense of common purpose.

We have our own national scars and our memorials – a civil war – two world wars – Korea – Viet Nam – 9/11 – Shanksville – the list goes on.

When our scars start to become stories that we can tell, they can offer hope to those who may face similar struggles. When people facing difficult situations can see the wound that healed in healing in someone else's scars, it can become a powerful source of strength for them. That’s why it remains important never to forget our struggles, never to hide our scars. Rather, it remains always important to share our stories, and to listen to the stories of others who have struggled, of those who have gone before us, that we may learn that we to can survive - and heal. Knowing our history - the good and the bad - is important to that process - otherwise those wounds may just fester. For us to heal truly, let's be honest first with ourselves and then with those around us. The scars may form. But they will bring a beauty all their own.