Why cant we just get along??

Sometime last year, I was dining with a couple of politically-sound American colleagues. They were asking me about the British Raj, politics and corruption (how they go hand-in-hand), terrorism, PoK, etc. Now, I don't consider myself an expert in any of these. I remember some of my stupid ideas when I was a kid.

For instance, in the 80's before the start of any commercial movie in most theatre in Chennai, they will show clips about the freedom struggle, etc(I don't remember when they stopped doing it). I used to literally cry during those short films. I used to think, when I grow up I should just go and shoot some of the British just like they did the Indians during Jalianwala Bagh or at other times. When I was about 6 years of age, my parents took me to Kashmir. We went as a group with a couple of my dad's friends and their families. Accepted that I was only a 6-yr old kid and don't remember much about the trip. But some places like Ladakh, Dal Lake, Ganges and stuff like my mom asking for curd in hotels to feed me and that being non-existent alien concept in parts of Kashmir other than Srinagar, being carried around by an old man since I was too young to walk in the snow, mule ride in the mountains...somethings just get etched in your memory. When I see some pictures, I cannot recollect some of them. But, to me Kashmir was paradise. Then, terrorism started and Kashmir was massacred. I thought if only I could go to the terrorist, show them Dal Lake, they would go back to their home willing nothing but peace. Little did I know, there were more things in the world beyond the comprehension of a 8-10 yr old. Anyways, I grew out of all of this ideas.

But some things never change. So, when I was dining with my colleagues, they were asking me about Pakistan and India, terrorism,etc. I told them India and Pakistan don't get along only after what British did in 1947 - partition. My colleague was appalled. He said he had never heard of such a thing before. Even I was surprised. I hadn't given any thought to such stuff in a long time. But there it was.

I just wish that everyone could just get along with everyone else. Most parts of our life/living is personal and no one's business but ours. Whatever interaction we have with the outside world can be peaceful. Cant it? I wish all countries were unified and we didn't need passports or visas. Maybe just passport for identification purposes. Just fly anywhere anytime we want without fear of anything, maybe just a few things. Come to think of it, wish they would unify the currencies of the world. Then, the decision I need to make (which boggles me everytime I think about it) if and when to go back to India will not be so hard!!