Bang Bang

In his grade three class at school, our 7 year old Velociraptor is playing mental maths games called Bang Bang. As a super-competitive child, we are delighted that he is not just winning all the time but also learning to lose with perspective and grace.

Unfortunately, this week Cambodian and Thai soldiers have been playing their own game of Bang Bang at the disputed land around the Preah Vithear temples currently on Cambodian soil. It threw the border towns into panic and many people have fled the area.

The official reports from this side of the border tell us that only 3 Khmer soldiers were killed and 7 “Siam” soldiers were injured before a ceasefire was called. Prior to the fighting the leaders of both countries were talking “big”, but now blame the other side for the outbreak of fighting.

I am reminded of the Khmer proverb “When the elephants fight, the ants die”. I just wish that the elephants of the world could recognise the impact their antics have on the ants and gain some perspective and grace of their own.