on the eve of 11-11 at 11:11, i begin calling in armistice… exactly at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 103 years ago, people across Europe suddenly stopped shooting guns at each other… up until that moment, they were killing and taking bullets, falling and screaming, moaning and dying… then they stopped, on schedule… the armistice agreement that ended World War I had set 11 o’clock as quitting time… Armistice Day was created to celebrate the ending of World War I and to work for the ending of all war…

the next year, King George asked for two minutes of silence for all people to reflect on and re-member the cost of war and the benefits of a lasting peace… in this moment, let us observe two minutes of silence while we contemplate the words of  an American President, Abraham Lincoln almost a half a century earlier when the United States was dangerously divided…

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.”

in every moment, may we all tune into a greater wisdom… the peace passing all understanding…

“The weary world is waiting for
Peace forevermore
So take away the gun
From every mother’s son
And put an end to war.”

~ Al Jolson ~

join with me on the 11th at 11 to chime bells 11 times commemorating the 103rd anniversary of WWI’s end following that with a wave of three minutes of silence dedicated to all who died and to all who lived… and then, may we rise up singing and dancing peace prevailing on earth…

and, on that note, i re-member it was 5 years ago Leonard Cohen moved on to another plane; with his death and as a celebration of his life, here is my favorite rendition of his praise song, hallelujah… godspeed, jikan… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYiMJ2bC65A