Laurence Gonzales points out to his readers in his riveting work Deep Survival, that "a crucial moment for all survivors comes when they become convinced that they will survive." Laurence goes on to say that, "facing down horror, finding beauty, then feeling certainty: every survivor describes the same pattern. In the stages of dying, the last step is acceptance. In survival, it is total commitment".
I find myself traveling these same exact steps....
For me, a glimpse into the source of these steps to survival can be found in but a moment within Tachanun, in which we call out to Hashem and implore as follows....
"Illuminate Your countenance within us, recall for us the covenant of our forefathers, and save us for Your Name's sake. Observe our troubles and hear the voice of our prayer, for You hear the prayer of every mouth".
It is Hashem's illumination within us and nothing else which provides us with the koach...the strength to stare down the horrors we face. We must never forget that we all have a holy spark of Hashem within us....b'zelem Elochim.....a spark of Hashem's love for each and every one of us....the pintele Yid.....this is our strength....access that and you will fear nothing....not even cancer.
It is truly understanding the covenant Hashem made with our patriarchs and matriarchs that unlocks the portal through which we recognize all beauty.
And if we truly commit ourselves to the relationship of relationships....the one we have with The Master of The Universe....The Ribbono Sh'Olam....Our Father...The King of Kings....then we can experience that certainty.....that we will not only survive....but truly live.....in this world....and the next.
Hashem is waiting for us....waiting for us turn to Him....to hear us...He is but waiting for us to open our hearts to Him....to open the floodgates that are our tears to Him....to trust in Him completely....to have the bituchon....that He will do what is best for us.....always.
I leave you tonight with one of my favorite quotes of all time by the adventurer Norman Vaughn who died at the ripe old age of 100 and whose mantra was, "The only death you die....is the death you die each day by not living."
...so let's start living.
Hashem is waiting for us to do just that.
B'simcha
michael
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Dear Michael,
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to read these uplifting words today. Thanks. May we all touch that point of closeness of living every second with hashem.
I want to wish you all a shabbat shalom.
We will pray for each of you in Brookline tonight and tomorrow. Yet another aron kodesh and torah opened and another group of jews will pray on behalf of a fellow jew they have never met. That is a striking thought.
The BU graduation is sunday and we will be thinking of you. Wishing you love, light and healing this shabbat of Bamidbar and the shabbat just prior to Matan Torah.
We are all encamped in a particular direction reflecting the angels above and then counted and counted and are each unique and precious to hashem. Like the stars and the sand. Each one of us our own individual light shining and fulfilling its particular purpose yet contributing to part of the whole. Your strength is giving us strength and may hashem allow you to continue to illuminate our paths and our souls.
Shabbat Shalom
Love
Kim, Raymond, Gabriel, Ariel, Ilana and Eli
Michael,
ReplyDeleteHow fitting that you should be giving us a lesson in survival, but more than that, in LIVING. It is Erev Shabbos - the Shabbos before Shavuos. Bamidbar is always read this time, without exception - last week was the Tochacah imploring us to live in a manner that will avoid the consequences of attempting the "live" without Hashem in our lives. This week we hopefully integrate what has happened since we left Mitzrayim (the constrictures of our lives) and began thinking in expanded transcendence. Part of that is what you write: "to become convinced you will survive". This is what Moshe will seek to communicate when he says Re'eh today you choose between Life and Death, Choose Life. You have to actually choose to live a full and meaningful life. You have and are doing so with the determination that only comes when one has chosen to place himself in the Hands of Hashem. Good Shabbos, my dear brother, Naph
I am closing my tearful eyes and focusing on what you are teaching me....teaching us all. You are our teacher through all this. My teacher, my friend. Good Holy Shabbos, Janis
ReplyDeleteBH"
ReplyDeleteMichael,
Beautifully written, thank you.
This week's Haftorah not only tells us that the number of children of Israel are as the "sand of the sea," and "cannot be measured or counted." Hosea also rebukes us for our infidelity & abandonment of their "husband - G-d."
But also the last lines are very moving and applicable. "And I betroth you to Me forever, and I will betroth you to Me with righteousness and with justice and with loving-kindness and with mercy."
As you go through this battle, as you know, and as you so beautifully wrote today, Hashem is with you. Whenever in life we G-d forbid have doubts that last line of this weeks Haftorah re-affirms who we are and our rightful position next to and part of G-d. Your strength and your desire draws it's spark from Him.
Have a great Shabbos.
Be well.
Michael & Jody
Shabbat Shalom to you, Lisa and the kids.
ReplyDeleteWe will have a l'chaim to you!
love,
jon and louise
dear michael,
ReplyDeletemy michael and i are thinking of you and lisa constantly. you are in our prays and inspire us daily.
my heart is full of love and spirit that you will be strong and well looked after.
all our love from chattanooga,
good shabbat,
love, lauren, ,michael, baras, eliza and murray
Hi Michael
ReplyDeleteI love reading your writing ..I will be leaving for India soon..so I may not be able to keep up..love to you..keep writing , keep strong and get healthy..thinking about you all the time..love and kisses to you and Lisa , Adam and Danielle