The Spinning Rabbi – Heart & Soul

The recent hurricanes, fires, and mass shooting in Las Vegas deeply saddened us all.  We are deeply saddened at the immense,pain, suffering and death of so many.

We were also heartened as we witnessed an outpouring of true love for a fellow human being.  The response during and after, showed us once again, the true human spirit.

So, so many, came forward to help in any way possible.  There was the courage and heroism of the first responders and medical personnel, who put their own needs aside and their lives at risk to save.  There were/are so many people locally and from elsewhere who stopped their lives to volunteer to help.  We’ve heard amazing and inspiring stories, seen stunning pictures, and videos of people helping people.

All those who lent a hand, did not care what the person in needs race, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or immigration status…… was. They knew that those in danger and suffering were all children of G-d and that’s all that mattered!

So, I wonder why does it take natural disasters and tragedies to bring out our best?  Why, oh why, is our best not expressed enough, or more, everyday, and all the time??*

We all have it in us to serve and treat others with kindness and compassion, all the time.  Elevating others literally and figuratively, is one of the key elements in elevating ourselves on our climb.

Heart and Soul

*This question doesn’t apply to all the first responders and medical personnel who have dedicated their lives to helping all, all of the time, often at great risk to themselves

How often do you compare your life to others?  This kind of comparison shopping comes in different forms.

In one form, you might look at the lives of others that have more of the things you want and you become envious.  This doesn’t improve your lot, instead it might make you angry.  Angry never leads to improvement.

Another form is to look at those in worse situations than you believe you are in.  How many times, when you are in a period of struggle, do you find yourself thinking “it could be worse, look at…….”, in order to make yourself feel better?  Or, how many times, when you tell someone else of your struggle or pain, do they tell you that? It is said by them in an effort and an expectation that it will make you feel better.

Does comparison shopping for someone who is in a worse situation really make you feel better? Perhaps it will provide some temporary relief like taking an aspirin, but it doesn’t cure the ailment.

 “Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.” – Regina Brett

Comparison shopping for someone seemingly in a worse situation might give temporary relief, but it does nothing to inspire you to do what’s necessary to improve your circumstances. In fact, it may do the opposite and inspire you to just accept your situation, which will make things worse by prolonging it.  Worse, it might just be feeding your ego by finding someone you perceive you are better than.  Instead, shop for something that will actually make things better.

Your lot and that of others is not a competition.  If everything happens for a reason, then a part of the reason for your struggle is to find a way out and learn what you can from that process.  Rather than focusing on another, focus on finding the meaning in your struggle.  It will make you stronger and prepare you for more lessons sure to come your way.  Learning all these lessons and welcoming the challenges will eventually lead you to the  person you are destined to become.

 “Adversity introduces a man to himself.”   —   Albert Einstein

“You’ll never find a better sparring partner than adversity.”   —   Golda Meir

The only value in being aware of others in worse situations is to remind you to kindly and compassionately seek ways you can help them.  When you help, you will have shopped in the right place.  That place that will make you feel better.

When you feel better, you can continue to climb your mountain!

“The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.” – Mark Twain

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” – Booker T. Washington

Heart and Soul

*Oldie But Goodie” updated

We are often asked “How is life treating you”? That question creates a mindset of us as victims of circumstance. The question really should be “How are you treating life”?  Thinking that way is another attitude shift.

We have no control over the events that come our way; we can only control how we react to them. We can train ourselves to treat everything and everyone that comes our way as an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. That’s why it’s presented to us.

An athlete’s trainer has the athlete perform drills to master in order to build a base. Building on the base the trainer successively gives new and more challenging drills. We should view the next thing that comes our way as what we now need to master.

“It did not matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us.” – Viktor Frankl speaking of himself and other inmates of Auschwitz from “Man’s Search for Meaning”

“Circumstances are beyond the control of man; but his conduct is in his own power.”— Benjamin Disraeli

“A joyful person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes”.– Hugh Downs

So, How are you treating Life?

Heart and Soul

*”Oldie But Goodie”

The sun shines and brings light all the time.  Sometimes we can’t see it because of clouds, the earth’s rotation, or on those very rare occasions when its light is eclipsed by the moon.

Just like the sun, our light is ever-present or available.  Our light is our soul.

There is a difference between the sun’s light and ours.  When the sun’s light is blocked, it’s not of its own doing.  When our light is blocked, it’s because we are blocking it.  Our ego and wants keep it blocked.

So “Let the sun shine”*, your sun, your soul, or your truth!

 “Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.’ – Elvis Presley

So how do you keep the light shining through?  For starters read this “Oldie But Goodie” true story

Many years ago there was a very wealthy man who was a pillar of his community. He was a very charitable and generous man.  Many came to him for loans, advice, investments in their business, or just to be around him. One day through no fault of his own he lost everything.  Pretty soon people stopped coming and he was left to be alone with his sadness.

He became very depressed. So one day he went to see his spiritual leader Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), known as the Alter Rebbe. He presented his letter to the Rebbe outlining the help he was seeking.  The Rebbe read the letter and looked up at him and said “I see you have given a great deal of thought as to what it is that you need, but have you given any thought as to what it is that you are needed for?”

“Once you have found that which you are needed for you will have all that you need”

When you focus on what you are needed for, your light will be radiant.  It will produce an inner and an outer warmth.

Heart and Soul

 For other suggestions browse through this site and stay tuned for more reminders

*Aquarius by the Fifth Dimension