War...War...War... What is it good for???

I went to see the Attack of the Clones. Leah said my attendance would help her get a fabulous winter vacation. I told my neighbor Catherine, I thought it was a good movie but..."there was too much war". And Catherine said "Well what do you expect , its called STAR WARS!" What do I expect? Then I started rereading The Lord of the Rings Triliogy. And again all about war... Evil against Good , thousands of orcs and men fighting epic, volume filling, wars. Even the trees are involved, the ancient tree spirits causing the destruction of the Evil stronghold.I read on but didn't like it!! And then on Thursday I went to Stratford, Ontario to see Romeo and Juliet. It is a play written in 1500's about a feud (war) between two familes, and how the innocent children of these families are destroyed by the hatred between their fathers. I left the theater in tears.1500 to 2002.... war, war ,war... I protested! Why subject myself to this as 'entertainment' when agression was so pervasive in the world. Its been overwhelming with Sept 11th, America's response of a holy war against terrorists and the daily news from Israel. Fear and agresssion everywhere.
"Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie." from "All's Well That Ends Well" ......................

The next day, Friday, I went to see "All's Well". After the play we went shopping in the town of Stratford. I went into an art store called Gallery Indigena and was priviledged to see the sculpture of Stewart Steinhauer, a member of the Nishnawbe First Nation in Alberta. I began to understand that Shakespeare really knew what he was doing.( I still not sure about George Lucas and Tolkien.) I found that the experience of Shakesperean tragedy had set that stage for a deep appreciation of amazing carved stone bears. I am still groping to explain what it seems Shakespeare knew 500 years ago. Confronting fear can happen in a 'safe' theater setting, and emotional growth is the result. As Prospero says in his postscript speech to the audience in 'The Tempest" "Now I want, spirits to enforce, art to enchant; and my ending is despair, unless I be relieved by prayer, which pierces so, that it assaults mercy itself and frees all faults." Or from another source: When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy."Khalil Gibran, The Prophet
Stratford has all this and black swans too. Now I'm back home. I drank too much coffee on the trip home and can't sleep. I guess I'll finish reading The Return of The King.