Much of the horrors that we are fed daily through the media could be attributed to the loss of a sense of belonging and partnership in couples and communities. In the past, and in some indigenous cultures today, the stages which involved watersheds, rites of passage in life, were observed and honored. This communal veneration towards puberty, coming of age, preparation for manhood, womanhood, birth and death, and the stages of life fosters mutual respect, and violence and intimidation have no opportunity to rear their ugly heads where respect is present. Finding ways in which to recognize and honor these life-stages would most certainly contribute towards a more peaceful and peace-seeking society.
