Robert Frost begins his poem Mending Wall with the words, “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall…” But, walls and doors can be really good things. I appreciate having walls in my home. They provide security from the outdoor elements, and privacy for those who use a bedroom or bathroom. I’m glad I have those walls and doors.
There is another kind of wall that I appreciate. I have a wall of identity around me. I know who ‘I am’ separate from others. I know who ‘we are’ when I refer to my family, work, or other groups that are part of my identity.
There are other kinds of walls, however, that do not serve productive purposes. On a tour of Belfast I witnessed walls that separated people who would really benefit by knowing each other. Those walls mean separate schools, sports, and friends for Catholic and Protestant children. The walls breed worry, stress, uncertainty, and fear. These feelings grow inside people to produce prejudice, discrimination, and bad behavior—mostly just because the walls exist.
There has long been talk about building a wall to separate the U.S. from Mexico. Does this seem like a wall to appreciate or one that will create problems? Certainly there is value in having national boundaries so people can establish a citizenship identity. In this case, however, I can’t help but think like Robert Frost does about walls.
The Robert Frost Poem also uses the phrase “good fences make good neighbours.” Without really thinking about it, the phrase makes sense. It is good to have a fenced in place to protect a pet or a garden. Fences will also help people know where privacy is expected. Unless people live in a very dangerous location, it is actually quite rare for neighbors to fence their whole property. There are usually places for privacy and places for hospitality. It takes wisdom to know the difference.
When it comes to neighbors, whether they live next door or just cross my path during the day, I want to be wise in how I apply walls between us. I would appreciate a wall to separate me from someone who clearly wants to do me harm. Most of the time, however, harm is not the issue. More likely, the problem is that this person is just different from me. That means there is actually an opportunity to make a friend or to learn something I didn’t know. It might even provide a chance for me to help someone in need with resources that I have to spare.
What I really want is to make friends and help others. I’d rather not have to deal with walls that create worry and fear. Walls like that just develop prejudices that are unjustified. We all build walls. I hope we build wisely so we can enjoy opportunities for friendship and learning.
Pursuing Peace 