On Sunday, June 26, the Armenian Women's Network had a forgiveness retreat at Clairmont Lavender Farm in Los Olivos, California. Ms Ana Cowe the founder of the group, lead the group into a full day of relaxation and meditation exercises. We went deep into our souls and searched any speck of bitterness as a result of a perceived offense. We wrote down on a piece of paper any hurtful feelings that was stored inside us and then burned it in a little pit. (picture below) The aroma of the two acre lavender plantation was intoxicating. It was a great experience. The following poem which was read by Ana Cowe will stay with me.
War Poem
I shot a man yesterdayAnd much to my surprise,
The strangest thing happened to me
I began to cry.
He was so young, so very young
And Fear was in his eyes,
He had left his home in Germany
And came to Holland to die.
And what about his Family
were they not praying for him?
Thank God they couldn't see their son
And the man that had murdered him.
I knelt beside him
And held his hand--
I begged his forgiveness
Did he understand?
It was the War
And he was the enemy
If I hadn't shot him
He would have shot me.
I saw he was dying
And I called him "Brother"
But he gasped out one word
And that word was "Mother."
I shot a man yesterday
And much to my surprise
A part of me died with Him
When Death came to close
His eyes.
Sgt. Lenihan was wounded in action and later received a Purple Heart. He never spoke with his family about the emotions he experienced during war, and they were very surprised to find this poem. Towards the end of Lenihan’s life, he actively sought out his old war buddies and described his time serving as one of the “worst and greatest experiences” of his life.
The DCoE Blog
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