Without the enemy: the enemy within

Did you ever get close to your enemy? Feel his warmth coming from his body? Feeling the same skin, flesh and blood that you live in, on him?

Would you let yourself experience this same human structure you inhabit, which he is carrying around, as you carry yours?

No. Because if you did allow yourself to breathe in his living odor, to sit beside him until your breaths entrain, until your hearts beat as one, as lovers’ hearts do; then you would must drop your external wars, your eternal warfare with the other.
Then you would have no provocation to leave your home, your fields; no one goading you to rid the land of the enemy, no incitement to extinguish his flame of life which seeks oxygen as does your flame. Then no extortion would come: to fight, to kill, to plunder or rob.

Then would you be free to tend to your pleasure; your geraniums, your writing or your goats.

Then when a demon appears to you, it can be recognized as yourself, as a fragment of you not yet sat with, listened to, sniffed, nuzzled and finally, befriended.

Do not seek outside for your enemy. He is in you, waiting to be met, breathed, and embraced.