Stonehenge and the power of Peace

Life 5000 years ago wasn't great, but wasn't bad either. In Egypt the first pyramid was being built in honor of the death of its king and to its deity of the gods. The Chinese were building a wall to keep people from invading from the north. In the middle east people were inventing writing to help organize a fair exchange in trade goods. In Meso-America the first temples were being built to honor the gods and the planets. In North America mounds of earth were being built to honor the sun. All the people of the planet lived by sticks, wood, fire, and earth. On the Island of Great Britain, the united group of its people marked the height of its civilization with the building of Stonehenge.
All civilizations then lived a life in harmony with nature, and recognized that life was a celebrated gift, and that death was always just around the corner. Death from hunting, tribal warfare, or by accidents occurred just as naturally as it does today. Only today we live blinded by our technology and tend to take this life of ours for granted way to often. We entertain ourselves with acting, plays and skits on a wired framed box. At times that box educates us, and keeps us connected to others across the globe. Other times it perpetuates fear, and is used for propaganda to keep us in our homes and afraid of other people just outside our neighborhood or city. Stonehenge was a marvel of achievement not only because of its size and the unimaginable task built by using simple hand tools, but because of what it teaches about civilized people at that point in time. In some ways they were more civilized than we are today. The effort that took to build Stonehenge required a united group of people with a single minded purpose, all believing in the same ideas and done within peaceful cooperation. Soon after Stonehenge was built, new technologies were made, and ended the age of stone putting in place a world civilization of copper, gold, and iron. The eras of metal. Eras of greed I call them.
The area now known as Stonehenge was a sacred site site used by the people of 3000 B.C.E. to celebrate the seasons and honor life and death. The entire island of Britain would come together in summer and in winter to celebrate the solstices. They had built a wooded monument area for this purpose to celebrate life. The monument marked the seasons and was aligned with the rising and falling of the sun during the summer and winter solstice. It was a celebration marked with great feasting, and most likely just a chance for all of the 'British' people to come together as one nation. I say British because that is how we know them today, and I say nation because they were a people united in beliefs, and customs. At some point their tribal leaders organized an idea to build a stone monument. This monument would outlast the wooden one, and would honor the leaders who died, that taught the people how to live in harmony with the earth and nature. To honor this life, and because it gave all of the people a reason to celebrate their togetherness.
The truth is that once all a peoples necessities are achieved, life gets mundane or boring. It is as true for today as it was then. People all reach a point where life becomes comfortable, back then food was grown or hunted, and people prospered. When people have time to celebrate, life is a good thing. People also need to be inspired, by keeping busy, people are happier, and live with purpose. For whatever reason, most people need some sense of purpose sometimes they create things like crafts or art. If not they get into trouble or just unhappy.
The building of monuments, temples, or mounds, gave groups of people a purpose. It was also a way of leaders to lead. To push people in positive, productive, 'constructive' ways instead of destructive activities. Like war. Its the positive nature of being human. That is the 'WHY' things are built. The 'How' is the amazing part!
The most 'Important' part for us to learn, are the lessons from our common ancestral past. Life IS a celebration. Life is not to be feared and IS to be lived with purpose. We, as individuals, can choose that purpose, that 'thing', that gives each of us joy. When we achieve that 'thing', we become happy and can lead positive, inspirational lives. When we do that 'thing' in peace with others, we can build monuments.

Bumbas,...Happy Trails!