War and strawberries

Today on the morning news we were watching coverage of the current Israeli-Palestinian situation.   Photographs are always shown of militants on both sides claiming victory, but the story also mentioned all the buildings damaged, all the lives lost or damaged, and it is hard to see any victory for either side.

I think mostly of the children and the old people, and the sick and vulnerable, on both ‘sides’ in such a conflict.  And all those millions or billions that will be needed to get back just to where the conflict started.  All those millions and billions that could have been used for food and education and comfortable homes.  Frankly, it seems to me that when even just one life or one home is lost or when one child is frightened, the conflict can contain no victory, especially when there are so very many other ways to resolve any conflict.

 But one of the most poignant aspects of the story we watched this morning was the desperation experienced by farmers who had worked to make a wonderful crop of strawberries, fruit no doubt enjoyed and appreciated by both ‘sides’, and which the farmers were having great difficulty in harvesting and getting to market.  Because it’s really hard to grow and harvest strawberries in the middle of a war.