If War Is Not The Answer, What Is?

In a blog article, posted on April 23, I wrote the following words that bear repeating here, as New Horizons and I continue our expanding efforts to offer guidance to men and women, everywhere, through both historical and present obstacles, to attain the dignity, respect and peace that separates the sexes, where only love, caring, compassion and concern for one another should be. 

Writing these words, at the time I first composed them --

If North Korea will not come to the table, what do we do?  

If Germans look the other way when Jews are being exterminated what do we do?

Or as Bob Dylan wrote -- 

“… how many times can a man turn his headAnd pretend that he just doesn't see?  

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind. The answer is blowin' in the wind.”

-- I was still at a strikingly earlier time in my own journey through these obstacles than I am now.  (And that was less than a month ago! OMG!!)

Most pointedly, the processes within which I am presently engaged, involving not only one, but two #Metoo-type situations in my personal life; one actually concerning both my personal and professional lives, have now placed me right on the front lines, very much needing to sort out for myself what do we women do in situations where our basic human rights have been violated, “If War Is Not The Answer.”

It is not easy to know what else to do when one is under siege, emotionally, spiritually and physically, especially when our enemies are also our friends and/or associates. 

Personally, right now I am challenged on a daily basis. Follow my stories on Anastasia The Storyteller to find out how I am managing these, as my own story is unfolding and being lived. There are no easy answers, especially when each person’s story of harm may be similar on many levels, yet each is also different and unique. 

Women around the world are actively fighting for their basic human rights on many fronts, each and every day. Each and every one of us is a part of this battle, if only as a supportive bystander. 

And, we must be a part of it for, as has been said many times – 

“If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem."

At New Horizons, as our Small “Zones of Peace” Project defines it, we are pledged to promote fair fighting, meaning standing up for and by our truths, yet doing this in ways that make room for the opposing side too.

We are about honoring the need for the polarization that defines differing viewpoints. 

And, we are also about the importance of leaning in to discover the common ground that can assist each and every one of us in building the bridges that can cross our unique separateness, without the undue reactivity that can keep anger and hostilities alive and escalating.

At New Horizons we know, with decades of experience behind us, that storytelling is one of the most impactful means for inviting people to understand one another in caring and compassionate ways. Story “listening” is equally a part of this process.

We also know, with that same wealth of understanding, that the establishing and sustaining of support communities, specially designed to heal certain kinds of troubles, can take people to unimaginable heights of clarity and cooperation. 

We need these types of communities now!

At this profound time in our personal, local and national state of polarized affairs, we, at New Horizons, are asking that you make every effort possible to join our Beyond Gender Tyranny movement by opening up to the endless possibilities in your personal and public lives to reach across whatever aisles separate you from others by making your best efforts to be a bridge builder across any and every relationship gap you find. 

You can do this daily, even in small ways. Do this by:

• Leaning in to others; 
• Sharing your personal stories (men and women); and 
• Inviting out the stories of others to which you will carefully listen, with an open mind and an open heart.

I will be sharing some of my own stories, again soon, on both my Anastasia The Storyteller Radio with –

If War Is Not The Answer, 

Beyond Gender Tyranny, What Is?

Saturday, May 19, 11:30 a.m.

Please join me on the air, this coming Saturday, with your stories, experiences and thoughts.

My guest call in number is:  646.564.9608
 
And be sure to keep reading the tales of my personal adventures in the #Metoo era on my Anastasia The Storyteller blog site –

This is the New Horizons Small “Zones of Peace” Project call to action for everyone!