This display of metal flowers reminded me of the colors of my tye-dye T-shirts, which I wore during the 1960s — and still wear today. — Photo by Pat Bean
I was walking my canine companion Scamp through my apartment complex parking lot this morning when a bumper sticker caught my eye – and sent my mind reeling back to the 1960s.
Make Love Not War, it read.
I watched those hippy-flowerchild years from the sidelines, changing diapers the first half of the decade, and being a naïve reporter thrown into the midst of the Vietnam War protests the last three years.
Having three young sons, whom I never wanted to have to go to war, I thought the slogan was a good one.
A sign for the 1960s is still pertinent today.
The ‘60s also marked the beginning of the battle to approve the Equal Rights Amendment. As a working woman earning less than my male colleagues, I also thought it was a good idea. Not all women back then did, however, and one asked me: “Do you want your daughter to go to war?”
“Of course not,” I replied. “But then I don’t want my sons to go to war either.”
It’s been over half a century since I first heard those four words, “Make Love Not War.” Three of my five children joined the military. One son spent 10 years in the Army, one daughter spent 10 years in the Navy, and one son make the Army his career, serving over 35 years for this country.
I’m proud of them – but sad that war is still ongoing on this planet. And probably always will be according a book I recently read: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.
Still, that Make Love Not War bumper sticker comforted me this morning, letting me know I wasn’t aloe in wanting everyone to just get along. It also set my brain to recalling the words to a song written in 1955 for the International Children’s Choir. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me…
At this point, Scamp noticed a mourning dove on the ground and attempted to give chase, forcing me to pull back hard on his leash. The action forced my brain back to my present surroundings, where the sun was just coming up, birds were chittering, a slight breeze was blowing through my hair – and someone had dropped a coronavirus protective mask on the ground by their car.
As Forest Gump’s mom said: Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.
Travels with Maggie, available on Amazon.
Bean Pat: Take a break from coronavirus news and look for moose on Michigan’s Isle Royale. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/27/travel/moose-michigan-isle-royale.html?campaign.
Pat Bean is a retired journalist who lives in Tucson with her canine companion, Scamp. She is a wondering-wanderer, avid reader, enthusiastic birder, Lonely Planet Community Pathfinder, Story Circle Network board member, author of Travels with Maggie available on Amazon, and is always searching for life’s silver lining.
Pat Bean's blog 
Nice short scene from your day.
My older son was joining the Royal Air Force as my daughter was going on the peace march! My younger son’s best friend is still in the army, my son toyed with the idea of joining, but figured out you could get killed and had to do as you were told!
We’re all different, and yet all the same. We should just respect the differences. Thanks for commenting tidalscribe.
I remember those bumper stickers!
Thanks for commenting Robin.
And your brother served in the Air Force . Love you, Rob
I remember that slogan well too from the 60s. Another was, “If not me, who? If not now, when?” I used that slogan a lot when I was working on various controversial issues. But I only learned recently where it came from: John Lewis, the civil rights icon who passed so recently. What a treasure he was.
I used that one too deborah. It’s nice to know where it originated. Thanks for sharing.