Sobering Thoughts For A Happy Occasion

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. 

Henry David Thoreau, Walden & Civil Disobedience

I travel around the New York - New Jersey area and can't help but notice throngs of people wherever I go - especially Penn Station. Where, pray tell, is everybody going? Why are they going there? Is there a higher purpose? Just work-home-work-home for 40 plus years and then finally the long dreamed of pension and retirement to Orlando? That's it??? "Quiet desperation" indeed.

This week I am celebrating my 86th birthday [I am Jewish and get two birthdays a year according to the Jewish and Gregorian calenders]. A birthday is not a time to eat cake - at least not for me.

Not because I am so holy but because I don't eat cake.

A birthday is rather a time for a cheshbon ha-fesh. Hashem gave me life, for what? Am I using it right?? Am I making big mistakes? What should I change, why and how?? What am I doing well that I should continue doing? Should I modify my good deeds and how? How much am I acting li-shma, for purely altruistic reasons and how much because I enjoy feeling good about doing the right things or to gain the admiration of others? How emes-dike am I and how sheker-dike? I am not 100 percent either and I have to think of ways to tip the scales more and more in favor of emes over sheker. What type of husband am I? Should I learn how to use the washing machine or how to turn the oven on and off [as we speak I actually am doing a load of laundry because it is either that or wearing the same dirty clothing...]? Is my wife reading this 6000 miles away and nodding her head and saying "Yes indeed. And there are a few other things you can learn as well"?! How am I as a father? Do I balance discipline and authority with love and acceptance properly? How much am I learning and how much time do I waste? Am I a good friend? Do I really love anybody but myself? These and many others are questions that we should be asking ourselves on our birthdays and more. We might not always like the answers but ignoring an illness doesn't make it go away [unless the person dies from it...:-)].

Sweetest friends!! We should all be zoche to continuously grow in all ways.

Amen:-)

Long sweet delicious years filled with spiritual fulfillment for me, you and all of klal yisrael and the geulah ha-shleima bi-karov!