Days of Wonder

Tuesday night I joined Sarah and her family for Yom Kippur service. Coming from a Christian background and knowing little of the Jewish customs or the Hebrew language, I was a little bleary-eyed by the end. One of the rabbi's themes did hit home with me though: returning to your "better self." I don't remember if she mentioned childhood, but that is the way I interpreted it... before you become discouraged by the day-to-day trials and tribulations. I guess related to the Christian teachings I know, it makes sense to atone for letting your spirit get discouraged--it can be challenging. This has been a year of many blessings for me, but also difficult at times... 

Here is the writing I had first heard at Rosh Hashanah service last week. I thought it was beautiful, and reminded me to keep looking for those moments of wonder that are also present during our lives...


“DEATH IS NOT THE ENEMY"
(Joshua Loth Liebman)

I often feel that death is not the enemy of life, but its friend; for it is the
knowledge that our years are limited which makes them so precious. It
is the truth that time is but lent to us which makes us, at our best, look
upon our years as a trust handed into our temporary keeping.

We are like children privileged to spend a day in a great park, a park
filled with many gardens and playgrounds, and azure-tinted lakes and
boats sailing upon tranquil waves.

True, the day allotted to each of us is not the same in length, in light, in
beauty. Some children of earth are privileged to spend a long and sunlit
day in the garden of the earth. For others, the day is shorter, cloudier,
and dusk descends more quickly as in a winter’s tale.

But whether our life is a long summery day or a shorter wintry
afternoon, we know that inevitably there are storms and squalls which
overcast even the bluest heaven and there are sunlit rays which pierce
the darkest autumn sky. The day we are privileged to spend in the great
park of life is not the same for all human beings; but there is enough
beauty and joy and gaiety in the hours, if we but treasure them.

Then for each of us the moment comes when the great nurse, death,
takes us by the hand and quietly says, “It is time to go home. Night is
coming. It is your bedtime, child of earth. Come, you’re tired. Lie
down at last in the quiet nursery of nature and sleep. Sleep well. The
day is gone. Stars shine in the canopy of eternity.”