Along Our Ride on The
Train of Life – Mid-October 2023
Shalom dear readers:
These days I tread carefully as I am being tossed around, back and forth,
on this terribly shaky ride of life. I ask myself, what can I do to cope and
not fall apart. How can I continue on my journey as if nothing has happened? I
go back to the adage implanted in me by my Grade 1 and Grade 2 teachers: YOU
CAN DO IT. Their words back then encouraged me to want to be a teacher. “I CAN
DO IT.” Such words can warm us within our hearts as well as my teachers’ SMILES
and ENCOURAGING COMMMENTS. Education is not only about brilliance, patience,
and delivery; it’s about setting the example. It’s the GLUE that sticks!
Let’s not wait for a chance for something to happen. Let’s make the
change ourselves. Every day we should ask ourselves, “What can we do to help
someone else in need?”
Age has no barrier. Many of us are enclosed in our homes for safety, for
fear. Shopping for pleasure or going out to see friends is limited or non-existent
for now. But all of us have neighbors who are seeking friendship and can offer
a kind word or gesture.
Loneliness leads to despair, but we have other ways of keeping occupied:
study groups online, book discussions, music, etc. It is up to us to
address our loneliness and it is our DUTY to help ourselves to feel less
lonely.
There is a modern song by Bonnie Tyler called HOLDING OUT FOR A
HERO. The lyrics go as follows:
“Somewhere after midnight, in my wildest fantasy: somewhere just beyond
my reach, there’s someone reaching back for me… I need a hero.”
In the Torah, we find examples from Sarah Imainu and Chana. They found
that their strength and solace came via their prayers. They taught us how to
connect to the Divine. The secret of tefilla (prayer) is selflessness.
Jonah had to descend into the deepest part of the ocean to reclaim his
faith and to learn that Hashem is everywhere. Hashem is our hero!
And so, I pray that each of us will reach with our hearts and souls to
rise above our fears, as real as they are, and to help ourselves and others
around us. Pray for all of our people and for ourselves to learn and to
practice the message: “I CAN DO IT.” Say to yourself, “I CAN still function and
do good in this world in some fashion.”
G. bless all of us, our brethren all over, and protect our soldiers, who
give their lives for all of Am Yisroel.
G. willing, we will meet again, during our train ride of life, in
November 2023.
CHW
