Peace on Earth

While many know the Christmas carol, few know the courageous story behind its lyrics. The sonnet originates from a poem written by world-renowned American poet Henry Longfellow in 1863. Longfellow wrote the poem at a time when tragedy plagued both his family and the nation. In April 1861, the Confederate army ignited the first battle of the Civil War. In that same month, Longfellow’s wife burned to death in the midst of a Civil War battle. Just days later, Longfellow’s son suffered severe battle wounds that nearly claimed his life. Longfellow attempts to express his indescribable pain in the carol, saying, “In despair I bowed my head.” Darkness, it seemed for Longfellow, would have no end.

By 1863, there was still no indication of the war coming to an end. Union General and later President Ulysses S. Grant would not successfully force Southern General Robert E. Lee’s surrender to end the war until April 9, 1865. The lyrics in the poem, however, tell of a different future. The lyrics describe a peaceful realm beyond the Civil War that claimed the lives of more than 350,000. Longfellow’s words envision a nation no longer burdened with the plague of racism or a demand for slavery. Longfellow makes several cries for peace on Earth and goodwill toward mankind.

In spite of the bitterness and violence that claimed Longfellow’s family and his nation, he strived to see a world with a future of peace. He strived to see a nation of people that did their best to uplift one another in spite of their vast differences, rather than soiling the Earth with the blood of hatred and bone of prejudice. Two years later, Longfellow was fortunate enough to witness the end of that historic war. Eventually, he managed to find peace once again.

Longfellow’s story reminds us that, if we cannot see a vision of peace and good will toward mankind in our future, we certainly cannot achieve it. We must all strive to see a world much more peaceful than the one in which we can physically see. With that vision, we can implement the means of goodwill toward others to accomplish it.

This holiday season, I would encourage you to think of those you know who may be suffering. It might be a family member, a friend or a homeless person seeking to find shelter. I encourage each of you to seek out your fellow citizen to assist them however possible. The more we can lift up others who are struggling, the closer we will find ourselves at a peaceful existence.

We glean the same message from world-renowned poet John Donne, who said that “no man is an island.” This symbolizes the belief that the whole of humanity is inextricably linked with one another — our lives, our moral consciousness and our fates. The notion that no man is an island is proved time and again in the face of even the most devastating circumstances.

We should recognize the concept of good will toward mankind most during the holiday season. No matter how dark and desolate our world may appear, we should strive each and every day to see a future by which we can achieve a lasting peace.

A native of Pacifica, Jonathan Madison worked as professional policy staff for the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services. Jonathan is lead attorney at The Madison Firm. He can be reached via email at jonathan@themadisonfirm.com.