"Il est plus facile de commencer une guerre que de la terminer"
— Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Simplified Meaning:
Starting a war is like lighting a match. It's quick and can be done with little thought, but once the fire starts, it spreads fast and is hard to control. Stopping the fire, or ending the war, takes a lot more effort, resources, and time. Imagine a personal argument with a friend; saying hurtful words is easy, but fixing the relationship afterward is tough. You might need to apologize, rebuild trust, and deal with the ongoing feelings. In real life, countries often find it simple to get into conflicts, but ending them involves peace talks, treaties, and dealing with many consequences. To apply this idea, think carefully before taking actions that cause big problems, whether in personal life or on a larger scale, because fixing things later can be very challenging.
