“Don’t go to war papa…”
A dialogue between a daughter(Ivanna) and her father in a war torn country…
Daughter: Papa, why are we not getting food and why don’t you go to office anymore? How long we have to hide in this dark place away from our home? You have been running holding me and the bags to hide in this place. Aren’t you tired papa?
Father: Ivanna dear, there is a war and people are out with firearms in the streets. It is not safe to go out. So hopefully this place we will be safe for now.
Daughter: So I cannot go out and play in the street with my friends? What is that fight, I was polite with friends and neighbours. Why are people fighting ?
Father: It is about the leaders of the country arguing to join some NAATO group and they are fighting to keep us safe.
Daughter: But why do they fight for keeping us safe. We left our house. Mummy says we don’t have food, I lost my toys, so where will we go ?
Father: I don’t know dear, leaders are talking to settle the problem and we have to hide and live with whatever we have in store here.
Daughter: But papa, why are leaders fighting — I learnt in school a leader helps and leads people to help and protect them. I think our teacher was wrong. When I go to school I will ask her true definition of leaders.
Father: No Ivanna, leaders help to grow the country and help to make all schools and hospitals and roads and parks where you play. They are working and there will be peace. Hopefully one day we will go back home.
Daughter: But they are fighting papa, our house is already broken where will we go? Will the leaders get our house back with all those toys and books I have kept neatly in my room? I heard Aleksander went with his family to another country in plane and he also took all his toys and books.
Father: They were rich people Ivanna, we are middle class and cannot afford to run out of the country like that. We will have to wait and one day everything will be alright. Have faith in God and trust our leaders and humanity.
There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare. — Sun Tzu
Daughter: But what is the need of fight when we were happy in our home? I never fight with my friends like that. You know, Anna was mean to me but we became friends again. She never took my toys and we also had lunch together.
Father: I know Ivanna, you are a good girl. Fighting is not good. It is time for you to sleep now. Listen Ivanna dear, if I do not see you tomorrow morning, you go to the other country with mummy. I will have to be here to tell people not to fight. I will give your message to them. Ivanna, when you grow up and become a leader, remember “War may be won by a nation but destroys thousands of families”.
Daughter: Promise papa, you will not fight — I know Nataliya’s dad also went to fight and she has not seen her dad for so many days.
Father: Good night dear, I will try to share your message to the people in the streets. But you be with your mother and baby brother. Be a good girl. Love you my little princess, everything will be ok.
Daughter: Good night papa and don’t go to war.
Just as one candle lights another and can light thousands of other candles, so one heart illuminates another heart and can illuminate thousands of other hearts.
— Leo Tolstoy
Note: The dialogue is not biased towards any political thought and represents plight of a common man caught in the global phenomenon of war.
