UNBREAK

 To unbreak is an interesting, though essentially useless concept. Once broken, something cannot be made whole again. Oh, you say I am wrong. Of course, things can be fixed, mended - almost as good as new. And there we have it. Almost. An interesting concept too and far more valid than 'unbreaking' something broken, be it in one piece or many.

In breaking things, gravity and accidents play no favorites, no distinction between a Ming Vase and the one you picked up for $2 at the local thrift. Nope, drop them and Crack!! Done and done. No unbreaking there. But is there a possibility, even a probability of mending other things in life? Can we unbreak as a personal, even group, or national act?

Yes and no. Every year, at opening day and night, student and parents, were on the receiving end of my standard anti bullying and anti-raw and hurtful language. The rhyme "Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never harm me - or hurt me"- as the variation goes. Wrong! So hugely, manifestly wrong, wrong, wrong!

Each and every one of us can think of a time, perhaps more than one, when words slipped out the mouth and there you were, standing there, looking at the damage you caused. The hurt expression, the wounded target of your words, as tears, anger, disappointment, whatever, descended upon them. No, that hurt can never be 'unbroke'; that hurt remains for a lifetime, always in the background and during times of 'dirty linen' washing comes back at ya' in spades!! Unbreak? Nope.

Aha! Apologies are raised. Oh yeah, as useless as a third armpit! Usually forced, is there anything of value within? No, again. And again, no. Almost guaranteed that the one who apologized will redo his wrong and the target will be hurt exponentially. Furthermore, this uselessness does not end in the hallways of schools, or corporations, or the home.

 Uh uh! Try international. How many times has the losing side had to apologize to the victorious countries, how wrong they were, how misguided their leaders were, and oh, so sorry, for your dead and wounded, for your destroyed lives and broken country. Oh, yeah! And if you believe that, simply wait a few years or so and the whole business is reenacted, only this time with 'more advanced' machines of war, all the better to kill and maim, to destroy and 'unbreak'? No. Back at the same rodeo. No, to 'unbreak' is nigh unto impossible.

Pertinent question. How are we ever to beat back bias, hatred of all types, and none would be surprised at the creativity of the human mind in its mad, self-destructive drive to gin up categories and targets of hate and bias. The answer? It is called education. We teach to the good, urge cooperation, explain the wrong done, role play, think, and think again. And know, that beneath all that veneer of civilization, the ugliness roils, awaiting a chance to arise again, free from its fetters, and wreak havoc once more.

We hope and pray that teaching and honest preaching, proper actions, are practiced by all. That they take root and become the norm. We hope to bury the ugliness beneath mounds and mounds of heavy coverings, all the more difficult to slither out. But to unbreak, to conquer it forever, to erase the hurt and resultant damage? No. We need to simply understand that, address it, and hope and pray for the best.

And remember, words can hurt as much as sticks and stones, causing greater more damaging and regrettable consequences. 

Those consequences are unable to be unbroken. Still think I am wrong? Okay, now go read the damage words - words - cause via social media. Simply words, a conglomeration of printed symbols. Yet they cut sharper, harder than the stick and stone, not that I approve of that either unless we must fight. There are those times - usually resulting from words that hurt, that cut, that instigated and entitled. 

The results? Don't ask - simply look around, delve within and understand.