Beginning of Spring and Hope for Peace

Pieter Ceizer’s Positive ‘Hope’ and ‘Peace’ wood sculptures

By Dr. Hassan Humeida

Kiel, Germany: “It’s the first of March, 2022 and the beginning of spring in Europe, but also elsewhere. It is the beginning of the most beautiful time of the year for us humans, but also for insects, birds and other organisms – May peace come to all people in Europe and worldwide in the spring time.”

War here and war there, worry, fear, hurry, escape, death … These are words that no one who loves life wants to hear.

It is the beginning of spring in Europe and people are waiting for the most beautiful season in this continent. They are eagerly awaiting and really looking forward to the sun finally shining so that they can take off their dark jackets, sweaters, hats, gloves and their heavy and long shoes, go outside in light clothing, pick up their favorite flowers and plants, sit in balconies, terraces or gardens. They are impatiently waiting for the best time of the year, hoping for a warm and beautiful summer so they can replenish their souls for the next winter that cannot be missed.

The cold and harsh winters in many regions are well known and they happen every year, especially in Europe. Where the sun shines elsewhere, there are only short warm months here. Cold and harsh winters freeze and kill the fish in water bodies.

Although children look forward to snow every winter, this joy only lasts for a certain period. Therefore, it is with the physiology of the human body that people can acclimatize to warmth or heat in the best possible way. After staying in warm or hot environment or region, this acclimatization to the warmth is complete and the body copes well. However, this stops at a maximum of – 40°C, and after a maximum of two weeks, unprotected and humans can no longer tolerate. We all, young and old, look forward to spring and summer.

Nobody in this world wants to think about old wars and follows. No one wants to recall what happened in World War I or World War II. Every year the victims of the bitter wars are commemorated and remembered in many countries. They were young and old people who fell victim in Europe and in many parts of the world.

The memorials and concentration camps stand as true witnesses to this day. Other important witnesses are relatives of those victims who are still alive and passing on the history of their families from generation to generation.

Bitter experiences in wars can neither be denied, covered up nor forgotten. Forgetting, denying or covering up atrocities and deaths should not be, but what can be done so that such wars do not happen again in a modern world.

We can say that by seeing the shining sun, people’s hearts are opened and they hope that things will be good. Here is precisely why this rise is important and after a tough period of thirst during the corona pandemic that has dominated the world.

As said: we are thirsty and hungry for salvation and freedom to free ourselves from restrictions of the pandemic – This is to be emphasized here where there is no risk to humans – A warm time with pleasant air on the air passages and skin. This is according to which people have done very well not only in Europe but also worldwide: Following rules and giving up part of own freedom for themselves and for other people.

People have worn masks during heavy work and our children have to sit in schools for several hours with masks on their faces to follow their lessons with concentration.

Here everything becomes clear to us; we humans can master situations, even difficult ones. We have earned the beginning of spring everywhere and we should celebrate it in peace.

An excerpt from my children’s book “The Return Back Home” – published in 2018 – Old escape story (10):

Over the days, both families, the host family and the guest family became friends. The heart of the host family was in the right place. They told us what we should do new things in everyday life and how everyday life could be managed safely.

The family invited us to their home a couple of times. They welcomed us. They were very hospitable and warm. We also invited them several times to visit us. They were happy to come and we made an effort to respect them as guests, even though our apartment was so small for guests.

Still, they preferred that we come to them because their house was spacious. So, we walked from our apartment to the house. Sometimes they would pick us up in their car and drive us back to our apartment, especially when it was getting dark or it was time for us to go to sleep. This family also had a history of war and flight. Their story had happened during the Second World War. They were at that time like us, they were also children and the war was raging in the middle of Europe.

The planes dropped many bombs. At that time, they fled as we did before the breaking out of the war. They fled to a safe place where they would be protected from the fires and violence, from the hunger and hardships of war.

The only difference from our story was that the war happened in a different place and at a different time.

Dr. Hassan Humeida