My father, the caricaturist Odd Einarson, created socially critical drawings in the mid-20th century that have not been forgotten. In 2016, my wife, Grace, wrote a feature titled “A Master of Satire and Caricatures”, covering one of several exhibitions of his work. Among his drawings, there is one I believe should be required study worldwide. It serves as a roadmap to peace, something the world needs now more than ever. Since the texts in the drawing are in Norwegian, I have translated them and used them as the foundation for this English introduction to the image.
This powerful illustration is more than a drawing: it is a moral compass, a visual map of human life at a crossroads. At its center stands a small, naked child on a lotus flower — a timeless symbol of purity and potential. The child reaches toward the light, surrounded by shadows and the spiritual decay of the world. Above the horizon, a radiant sun rises with the words: “The truth shall make you free” — a quote from the Gospel of John, and a universal reminder of what it means to be truly liberated.
A narrow path stretches between the child and the light, marked by a sign: “The path to eternal life is a journey in truth.” It is no easy road. This is not a broad, well-lit highway but a steep and uncertain trail flanked by signs bearing the names of real and present dangers: violence, revenge, profit, hatred, original sin, crisis, war. These are not abstract concepts. They are forces shaping our world and threatening its future.
In our time, marked by polarization, disinformation, inequality, and ecological collapse, my father’s image feels more necessary than ever. It speaks to the conflict between instant gratification and enduring values, between illusion and truth.
On the far side of the chasm, along narrow paths leading toward the light, we find words like forgiveness, honesty, voluntariness, understanding, and love. These are not passive ideals but active choices that demand effort, humility, and courage. The drawing also conveys that belief in humanity as created in God’s image is essential to escape the cycles of violence and despair.
The dark mountain rising in the background represents the personal and structural obstacles between us and the truth. Yet the sun behind it reminds us: truth still exists. It can be reached, but not without resistance.
This drawing is a quiet yet urgent call for moral clarity. It doesn’t just ask who we are but what we choose to be. In a time when children grow up in the literal and metaphorical shadows of war, displacement, and ecological disaster, the message becomes painfully relevant: if the path to light and truth is to be found, we must clear it together.
It seems so obvious. Why, then, is it so hard to do?
Read also: What Do We Do When the Obvious Becomes Impossible?
Featured image © Odd Einarson
3 responses to “Path to Peace: A Drawing for Our Time”
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