Shalom dear Readers: May 1, 2022
On our train ride of life, each of us is so pleased to be part of mankind. We try to enjoy special moments and the seemingly smooth ride. But... along comes a bump - a scare. With health issues of ourselves, and/or family members and/or friends, and the ride on this train of life becomes very very bumpy, one that we could not imagine in our worst of nightmares. C'est la vie? We can cry, we can scream out, but: IT IS WHAT IT IS.
How then can we pick ourselves up and think/say: 'IT IS WHAT IT IS'.-we must pull myself/ourselves together and adjust our mind into a new operational mode. We will cope, and adjust as we are yet on the train of life! 'MIND OVER MATTER'. I can forge ahead, build myself up from these negative thoughts. Reaching out to you, my readers, I will yet encourage us, despite life threatening illness, situations, and strive for all of us to yet enjoy riding on the train of life!
In Rabbi Zelig Pliskin's book entitled "Gateway to Happiness and Gateway to Self-knowledge", I want to share with you 3 or his suggestions:
1. Accept what cannot be changed and try to make the best of it.
2. Instead of telling yourself how awful a situation is, tell yourself that although it may be difficult, you can still cope with it.
3. Think of difficult situations as a test and a challenge.
This month's entry has been a very difficult one to write and to express myself after the death of my daughter, Deena. Indeed, life must go on: yet we do never forget. I am the whole and the broken, the intact and the shattered. My heart is both whole and broken, as the Kotzker Rebbe taught: " The only whole heart is a broken one." We cannot live in this world, love, see its pain, lose those we love, and not have a broken heart. Things can and do break and fade and die. It is such through broken, that we find our way to G. Each time we reach out, we take the chance of being broken. Rabbi Alexandri in the Talmud taught: 'Human beings are ashamed when they use broken vessels, but G. seeks out broken vessels. As it is said: "G. is the healer of shattered Hearts" (Leviticus Rabbah 7:2).
Some of us may find art as therapy; others find comfort through faith and spiritual practices. Many find joy in their work and lifestyle, and practice a daily gratitude process, in mind and on paper. Concentrating on one's diet, exercising, more sleep, walking outside daily help to maintain some joy and order in our lives.
We all have l ow moments, for some unfortunately, more and longer than for others. Each of us has his own little 'peckele of tzores'. As a Talmudic rabbi pointed out so wisely, 'ein b'olom b'lee yesurim' -there is no man in this world without his share of private suffering - it is just then that we need to confront our difficulties head on and with faith. One can be depressed, overwhelmed, suffer illness, et al, but le's not give up on life, and not become bitter and disheartened. 'This too shall pass'.
I close with my best wishes for all of us. Hopefully, we will connect again in June. Let's pray for our country and for our brethren all over the world, and for all mankind.
CHW
