Peace Has Broken Down

This is the story as reported to me by my wife Becky.

Becky was driving the kids someplace in the minivan yesterday when Penelope, age three, made a song request.  “Peace Has Broken Out!” she shouted from her car seat.

The song began and Penelope swayed and sang.  Then, somewhere in the first chorus, she asked a rhetorical question of her big brother. “Gresham,” she said, “do you know what peace has broken out means?”

“Yes,” said Gresham, age six. Penelope told him anyway.

“Peace has broken out means no more fighting,” she explained.

“No it doesn’t,” Gresham answered.

“Yes is does,” said Penelope.

That’s when, ironically, peace broke down.  The song ended.  The war continued.

Sometimes, when others argue the meaning of our words, it becomes obvious they’ve missed it entirely.