I shall fight no more forever - to the unlived life

The first time I read this line was right after I came to the U.S. One day as I was browsing a store, I saw a painting of a solemn and anguished looking old Native American India man, on horse with his feathered arrow down. Underneath the painting, it read "I shall fight no more forever." As an impulse shopper, I acted on my impulse. The painting made its way to my small apartment then. I often looked at that painting, not knowing who he was and what the painting was about. I just knew the painting spoke to me on many personal levels, in a good way. It helped bringing the inner peace in me. I later learned about Chief Joseph and his story.

Life is full of conflict. To live in one physical body form means to be at one place at one dimension at one time. It means we have to take side in the conflict, and then fulfill only one side of the conflict. Living means walking the path of one life, leaving the other life, for most our inner life, unlived. There is no way to run away from the dilemma. In order to avoid bloodshed and pain, something is going to give. Peace is born. Peace is not absence of conflict. It's the ability of taking side and then coping with the conflict. Peace (so is happiness) is also over-rated in today's society in my opinion. It should never be appraised as if it were the destination - the goal of living. It's just a way of living, a choice which a survivor ought to take in order to move forward. I don't know if all my peace talks make sense to you. But if you are left with any scars, you have fought the senseless battles.

The painting is now collecting dust in the garage after my last move but I still think of that painting whenever I'm in a war with myself. So an invisible spot somewhere on the empty wall is reserved for Chief Joseph. To my unlived life into the wilderness, I lay down my weapons and lay you to rest this lifetime. "From where the sun now stands, I shall fight no more forever".