Arthur Waskow on reconciliation and the four children:

Why should I compromise?" And we answer that we choose the route of compromise because the alternative is the mutual destruction, both moral and physical, of our two peoples. If we fail to compromise, we will lose a vision of the future for our children. The naive child asks, "Why can't we just love each other?" And we answer that neither of us can live as if history has not happened. Unfortunately, too much blood has already been shed on both sides. It takes time to build trust. The frightened child asks, "How can I be safe?" And we answer that we are both afraid. "How can I be safe if my brother or sister is not safe?" The wise child asks, "How can we take the steps that walk in peace, toward peace?" This is the question with which we wrestle tonight. But this is a question that goes beyond tonight. For in each one us lives all four children: Each of us bears in our own belly the angry one, the frightened one, the naive one, the wise one. Which of these children shall we bring to birth? Only if we can deeply hear all four of them can we truthfully answer the fourth question. Only if we can deeply hear all four of them can we bring to birth a child, a people, that is truly wise.