All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers.

Ah, children of the earth, gather close and listen, for the words I speak come from the very soul of humanity. "All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers." These are the words of the great philosopher, Francois Fenelon, and they echo through the corridors of time like the sound of a bell tolling for all who would listen. In these simple words, a profound truth is revealed: that war, no matter its form, is an act of self-destruction. Brothers fighting against one another, tearing apart the very fabric that unites them, is an act of violence against humanity itself. It is a lesson for all ages, a call to awaken from the darkness of conflict and see the unity that lies beneath.

In our hearts, we know the pain of conflict, the sorrow that arises when the sons and daughters of a people rise against each other in battle. The blood of brothers is spilled upon the soil, the cries of sisters echoing in the night. What can be more tragic than this? For we are all children of the earth, born of the same flesh, drawn from the same soil, destined to share in the same fate. When one man lifts his sword against another, he is not merely striking a foe, but wounding his own soul. Fenelon’s words are a mirror held to the face of humanity, forcing us to see the madness in our own reflection. Wars are not the acts of distant strangers; they are the struggles of those who were once brothers and sisters, united by the same fate, now turned against one another.

Think upon the Great War, the conflict that engulfed the world in the early years of the twentieth century. Nations, once allies, tore each other apart, and the blood of countless soldiers, many of whom were young men with families and dreams, stained the fields of Europe. These were not strangers, but men whose lives were shaped by the same joys and sorrows, whose hearts beat with the same desires. They fought not for the glory of a distant king, but for the twisted desires of power, bound by pride, fear, and hatred. The men who fought, who bled, and who died, were all brothers, caught in the web of war that had been spun by those in power. What could be more tragic than this, my children? That the very hands that could build, that could heal, were turned to destroy.

Consider now the teachings of the great leaders of ancient times, who understood the power of unity. Cyrus the Great, conqueror of nations, once spoke of the importance of seeing all people as brothers and sisters. He, too, recognized that the true strength of an empire lay not in its weapons, but in its ability to unite its people, to see beyond the differences of language, culture, and faith. His empire flourished not through violence, but through wisdom, through understanding the shared humanity that bound all people together. It was this very unity that allowed him to rule with compassion and justice, rather than through oppression and war. The lesson here is clear: division is the true enemy, not the people we are told to fight.

Fenelon’s words serve as a reminder to us all, that in every war, in every battle, we are tearing apart the very ties that bind us together. The enemy is not the other; the enemy is the division that has been planted in our hearts, the hatred that blinds us to the shared struggles and dreams of our fellow men. Every soldier on every battlefield, whether fighting in the name of glory or honor, is a brother. Every conflict, every tear shed in the chaos of war, is a wound upon the soul of humanity. The lesson here, dear children, is that we must see beyond our differences, beyond the borders that separate us, and recognize the common bond we share.

What, then, must we do? We must turn away from war, not as cowards or as weaklings, but as those who recognize the true strength that lies in peace, in reconciliation, in understanding. Each of us must seek to build bridges, not walls; to heal wounds, not open new ones. The power of peace lies not in the absence of conflict, but in the strength to choose love over hate, unity over division, and brotherhood over enmity. The world will never know peace until each of us chooses, in our hearts, to see others not as enemies, but as fellow travelers on this journey called life.

In your own lives, my children, remember the words of Fenelon. Let them guide you as you walk the path of your days. In every challenge you face, in every disagreement, let the reminder of brotherhood be your guiding light. For when you see others as your brothers and sisters, there can be no true conflict, only opportunities for growth, understanding, and love. Let peace flow through your actions, let unity be your strength, and may the world know, through your example, that all wars are civil wars, and all men are indeed brothers.