Essay On Compassion Amidst War - 1089 Words

Compassion Amidst War This is the product of war: thousands suffer death and loss. The more it tears family and friends apart, the more it turns intimate relationships to hatred. Yet, even amidst the chaos and horrors of war, there are those who rise above deaths malevolent sting and the irrepressible sorrow. This untitled photo tells that exact tale. Taken during a time of great distress, this photograph captures the compassion of a man as he cares for a small baby, who in turn has found peace and trust within this unlikely friend. Taken during a time when war ravaged the nation of Vietnam, this photograph provides a minute glimpse into this trying time. This war claimed the lives of over fifty-eight thousand American soldier and†¦show more content†¦The presence of soldiers reveals that their setting is hostile and dangerous. In addition, all the men surrounding this child are not the same race and are therefore clearly not the family of this child. Because the child’s parents are not photographed it implies that the child is in the care of the U.S forces. It is likely that the child has either been abandoned or orphaned. Swierk and the child have certainly suffered death and loss throughout this war. Yet, despite the war between them and their countrymen, Swierk finds compassion for this stranger. Swierk sits cradling within his arms a child in whom he has found compassion, care, and even happiness. His posture is slouched with both legs spread out in a relaxed fashion. His right leg, raised higher than the other, acts as a seat for the baby sunken in close to his chest. His face and brow are neither tense nor furrowed; his face and brow are soft and relaxed. With a slight smile, his face appears content and peaceful. Because his attention is focused on the child, Swierk’s head and back tilt toward the baby. There is nothing else capturing Swierk’s attention, as if the child is his priority, as if he truly cares for him. Swierk sits with both arms wrapped around the baby. Rather than having his hands loosely to the side, which might suggest carelessness, Swierk has positioned his arm to be securely bracing the baby. His right arm is lifted to a height that would take effortShow MoreRelatedEssay On Compassion Amidst War917 Words   |  4 PagesCompassion Amidst W ar Taken during a time of raging conflict of the most severe kind, this unnamed photo is a display of the compassion one can show towards another and the faith one can have in an unlikely friend. A young man sits on a concrete floor, slightly leaning on a pole, as he holds in his arms a baby appearing to be somewhere between one and two years of age. An African man sits close behind them looking away from the camera, only the lower half of his face captured. 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