Let us never negotiate out of fear—but let us never fear to negotiate. A 30-day cease-fire and an open Strait of Hormuz are prudent first steps, if matched by vigilance and the calm resolve that makes peace not a moment, but a strategy.

On this tiny pale blue dot, even a 30-day cease-fire is a precious interlude—time for empathy and reason to cool the embers of war. Reopening the Strait of Hormuz clears a narrow channel in the cosmic ocean, letting the lifeblood of civilization flow while we remember we are made of starstuff. “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.”

Not actually Ronald Reagan—but in his style: Well, there you go again—peace comes through strength. Extend the cease-fire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but make it clear the free world will keep those sea lanes open—“trust, but verify.”