I am publicly posting this (slightly adapted) message that I have shared with the TSG Ashram Group this month.

Recent events in the Middle East and other global crises have really struck a chord with me. As I ponder potential solutions, I came across a quote that resonated, found in "Challenge for Discipleship" by Torkom Saraydarian (page 36).

"In cooperation, one slowly learns to understand the values of others and to adjust oneself to others in such a way that they and others become more productive."

Isn't it ideal for communities currently living in separation, seemingly with no prospects of coexistence, to find a reason, an initial incentive to cooperate? But what could this incentive be when positions appear irreconcilable and accumulated hatred seems insurmountable without the possibility of reconciliation?

Cooperation involves doing something together. To do something together, we must have a common goal and be willing to listen to our collaborators for the sake of the goal we aim to achieve. Consider a team-building exercise where two people have to cook together – one knowing the recipe but unable to use their hands, and the other able to use their hands but unaware of what to do. It highlights the importance of mutual listening and adapting to each other's different paces.

Effective collaboration is not immediate; it is a slow process that requires us to understand others through patient observation of the inevitable mistakes made by everyone. Understanding the values of others allows us to grasp the reasons behind their behavior, helping us understand why reactions may not align with our expectations.

We are not all the same. We don't all see things from the same perspective, and we generally don't share the same values. However, if we want to be efficient and achieve our own goals, cooperation requires that these differences be understood and, most importantly, accepted. At this point, differences become an advantage, a source of strength, and cooperation becomes magnificent, bearing fruit.

I don't know how this can be practically applied in all the situations the world is currently facing, causing profound wounds in humanity (not limited to the Middle East or Ukraine but also in less spotlighted places like Haiti). However, I believe the process of reconciliation and coexistence should start with a moment of realization that cooperation is necessary. Cooperation for war-torn nations, seemingly over territorial disputes, could indeed have the goal of restoring a country to prosperity, well-being, and wealth.

When people realize that the only way forward is to work together, simply because eliminating the other side is not feasible, they will have to start understanding and coexisting with differences. Eventually, they can turn these differences into strengths.

My wish is that this can happen as soon as possible, before the destructive process becomes irreversible and cooperation is no longer even considered.