-
Entrust your pain to the community
A few months ago, I read this essay called: “Two Lessons learned from this Ancient Piece that Changed My Life” written by Sharon Brous who is a Rabbi. This is an excerpt from The New York Times. “A somewhat obscure text called the Mishnah, which is a very old Jewish legal document has been my unlikely teacher and guide for the past many years, and my north star. The Mishnah gave hope to all in need as they circled the Temple of Jerusalem. For those in pain, they would turn to the left and the ones giving care and compassion would turn to the right. They would meet in the…
-
Gone fishing
It is sunset and I am riding my bike for exercise. I am also on the lookout for birds and other animals. A blue heron flew over my head, legs dragging behind it. Her landing was smooth and she touched down right at the water’s edge. She positioned herself well to search for food. Her eyes were quick and darting. The great blue heron’s eyesight is about 3 times acute as ours. Its binocular vision gives it very good depth perception. Many of us are fishing for something–perhaps a change of scenery or something new by the water’s edge. One of my dear friends who spent many years in the…
-
An Untold Reflection
Sunset, Fort Greene Park I used to spend some of my day feeding young cats in Fort Greene Park near my previous apartment. Taking care of them was one of my daily rituals. I knew a lot of my neighbors through this action and some became good friends with me. Christopher is a young man who is in a wheel chair and half of his leg is gone. He works out with his trainer near way I fed my cats and we saw each other a lot. He is a young man with a big smile and a fierce determination. When I look at him, I see a whole young…
