This ‘Peter’ online presentation was Published in 2018 Paperback book COMPENDIUM II printed in colour on quality paper, by BLUE LIGHT PUBLICATIONS. It is also available in Electronic Kindle book. amazon.com
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Montenegro Balkans Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia Flag 1918-1992
Peter
(1995)
Even in the darkness of wartime, wisdom can rise above violent tragedy and give humanity a light to guide their life. Such was the true story case once upon a time. A man named Peter lived in Yugoslavia. He married a young lady named Maria. They lived in a small town during World War II. During the time of Maria’s pregnancy, the German army invaded their village and took control of Peter and Maria’s home. Peter in anger resolved to fight the Germans. He left the town, joined the Yugoslav Partisans and fought his enemy in the woods and surrounding districts. Weeks of battle passed, Peter was shot, but before he died he wrote a letter to his unborn child.
Fellow partisans found Peter’s body and the letter. The letter became part of guerrilla folklore. It was passed from one person to another, until the time would come, when they would gain a chance to deliver its message. Finally, opportunity came. Brave fighting partisans drove back the Germans and entered Peter’s village. Searching for Maria, they sadly learnt she had been murdered a few days before her child would have been born. Now the letter stood alone, its family link destroyed by the evil of war. Wandering seemingly aimlessly, the letter finally reached London, and became a message to all children, for every generation to come, a great revelation, an eternal reflection of poetic feeling, a noble moment of deep honest conviction. The spirit of love, freedom, and peace, marched spreading its spirit of enthusiasm, sending a self-realization, a moment of enlightenment, to all souls who open their heart to Peter’s communication.
The letter began…
“My child, sleeping now in the dark and gathering strength for the struggle of birth, I wish you well. At present, you have no proper shape, and you do not breathe, and you are blind. Yet, when your time comes, your time and the time of your mother, whom I deeply love, there will be something in you that will give you power to fight for air and light. Such is your heritage; such is your destiny as a child born of woman- to fight for light and to hold on without knowing why.
“May the flame that tempers the bright steel of your youth never die but burn always. So, that when your work is done, and your long day ended you may still be like a watchman’s fire at the end of a lonely road- loved and cherished for your gracious glow by all good wayfarers who need light in their darkness and warmth for their comfort.
“The spirit of wonder and adventure, the token of immortality, will be given to you as a child. May you keep it forever, with that in your heart that always seeks the gold beyond the rainbow, the pastures beyond the desert, the dawn beyond the sea, the light beyond the dark.
“May you seek always and strive always in good faith and high courage, in this world where men grow so tired.
“Keep your capacity for faith and belief but let your judgment watch what you believe.
“Keep your power to receive everything; only learn to select what your instinct tells you is right.
“Keep your love of life but throw away your fear of death. Life must be loved, or it is lost; but it should never be loved too well.
“Keep your delight in friendship; only learn to know your friends.
“Keep your intolerance- only save it for what your heart tells you is bad.
“Keep your wonder at great and noble things like sunlight and thunder, the rain and the stars, the wind and the sea, the growth of trees and the return of harvests, and the greatness of heroes.
“Keep your heart hungry for new knowledge; keep your hatred of a lie; and keep your power of indignation.
“Now I know I must die, and you must be born to stand upon the rubbish heap of my errors. Forgive me for this. I am ashamed to leave you an untidy, uncomfortable world. But so, it must be.
“In thought, as a last benediction, I kiss your forehead good night to you- and good morning and a clear dawn.” (i)
Thus, Peter’s letter- ‘Revelation by Feeling’ ends leaving us all a cosmic message. For all eternity, Peter’s communication, shall exist as testimony, that love, freedom, and peace, when united with goodness, beauty, and truth, is the hallmark of all wisdom which leads to eternal happiness, that which begins in us, by appreciation, courage, and enthusiasm.
(i) Reference: Preface to Philosophy: Book of Readings Compiled by Ross Earle Hoople, Raymond Frank Piper, William Pearson Tolley, Syracuse University. Publisher, The Macmillan Company, New York Page 172, Article 46. ‘Such Is Your Heritage.’ Cross-reference: Time magazine, January 25, 1943. First published in 1946 in the United States of America. First read by Allan Ivarsson in 1973. Old editions are still good reading.
Author’s Note at 2003: Many of us have learnt the wisdom of Peter who for a moment became ‘A Messenger of Time’. Peter fought in self-defence, for his family, his friends and his country. He died defending the right to live free without fear or prejudice. But alas! Sadly, five decades later, a new generation of Yugoslavians betrayed Peter’s vision, diligence, and sacrifice. Imitating the Nazi ethnic cleansing process, satanic ideals raised its ugly head once more. Driven by greed, prejudice, and hate the new breed of Yugoslavians fought a long and bitter civil war (1991-2002) amongst themselves. Thus, did Serbian Yugoslavians, Croatian Yugoslavians, and Albanian Yugoslavians, systematically murder each other, and Peter’s country in the name of their ‘creed’. Happily, for Peter, Maria and their unborn child, they did not witness, the tragic demise of their nation, killed by stupidity, pure madness, ignorance, indifference, and negligence. Let us pray for those who survived the war crimes committed by the last generations of the 20th Century and pray that wisdom flows once more during the rebuild of their nation, and the senseless violence ceases forevermore. Let us pray for the united spirit of Yugoslavia, whatever its name to come shall be called.
Story Source: 2017 Combat Women ‘War Reflections’
