Thoughts About 2006
As one can say about any year, truthfully, 2006 had its ups and downs. There were moments of great joy, and those of sadness. These conclusions, if you will, seem to be the nature of life for each and every one of us.
On a personal level, there were some glorious times: our trip to Israel, a life-changing experience, seeing our daughter graduate from college, our son find a job he loves, meeting new people, re-establishing relationships, having a job that I love, getting Argon, and the list goes on and on to be honest. And of course there are those sad moments, when my cousin Amy passed away, Astro died, my daughter became ill again, and the list goes on. The instability in the middle east remains an issue of great concern to me, as does the safety of Israel, its future, and the return of the 3 prisoners who were captured. The war in Iraq continues, with many lost of lives and billions of dollars spend. And the list goes on.
There is a book that I read a couple of years ago, that has had great meaning to me, especially during this year. It is Fateless by Imre Kertesz, which won the author, a Holocaust survivor, a Nobel Prize in 2002. In this book, the we see the holocaust threw the eyes of a young boy, who tries to make sense of life, and stay sane in an insane world, a place consumed by cruelty, brutality, pain and suffering. Ultimately, the boy finds color in the death camps, sees his beyond the surface of his captors, and paints them with characteristics that lie beneath the surface, as men with humanity. The great message of this amazing book is that in the end, it is our perception of a situation, which can feel like the worst of all possible hells, that ultimately keeps us from loosing our own minds.
May your eyes and hearts open wide for the coming year, no matter what is going on around you. May you see a kaleidoscope of colors instead of black and white, and may you be healthy and joyful as well.
Thank you for your minds.
On a personal level, there were some glorious times: our trip to Israel, a life-changing experience, seeing our daughter graduate from college, our son find a job he loves, meeting new people, re-establishing relationships, having a job that I love, getting Argon, and the list goes on and on to be honest. And of course there are those sad moments, when my cousin Amy passed away, Astro died, my daughter became ill again, and the list goes on. The instability in the middle east remains an issue of great concern to me, as does the safety of Israel, its future, and the return of the 3 prisoners who were captured. The war in Iraq continues, with many lost of lives and billions of dollars spend. And the list goes on.
There is a book that I read a couple of years ago, that has had great meaning to me, especially during this year. It is Fateless by Imre Kertesz, which won the author, a Holocaust survivor, a Nobel Prize in 2002. In this book, the we see the holocaust threw the eyes of a young boy, who tries to make sense of life, and stay sane in an insane world, a place consumed by cruelty, brutality, pain and suffering. Ultimately, the boy finds color in the death camps, sees his beyond the surface of his captors, and paints them with characteristics that lie beneath the surface, as men with humanity. The great message of this amazing book is that in the end, it is our perception of a situation, which can feel like the worst of all possible hells, that ultimately keeps us from loosing our own minds.
May your eyes and hearts open wide for the coming year, no matter what is going on around you. May you see a kaleidoscope of colors instead of black and white, and may you be healthy and joyful as well.
Thank you for your minds.
14 Comments:
every day has its ups and downs
Indeed, perceptions and attitudes can truly transform the world around us!
Good wishes to you in 2007 Barbara!
If one looks back over the year they have lived, they will always see good and bad events.
What a beautiful blessing!
Amen to that!
Every year's like that.
Let's carry only the good memories over to next year, and place the less pleasant moments somewhere in our brains, a place that is only accessed on rare occasion.
We all have ups and downs and it's up to us to make the best of them. I saw your puppy Barb, he's so cute. I think you will grow to love him.
I wish you and your family a Happy New Year...
And the same to you Barbara!
You're right, this post does resonate with me. I'll be posting something reflective in the next day or two as well.
Mike
Thanks for the insights, Barbara. I hope you and your family have a Happy New Year!
Thank you all for your good wishes.
Tonight is an ending, and a beginning. May it be one of goodness for each of us. Good health, good fortune, good friends, and the list goes on.
Happy New Year, Barbara!
Mike
I would agree that our perception of a situation makes all the difference. However, monsters also walk the earth.
Amalek should not be forgotten, nor forgiven, but blotted out. I finally understand the Torah's insistence on that, and the Torah's insistence that Amalek exists and that we need to see and accept the reality of that.
Hi Barbara,
Happy New Year. I wish the best for you in 2007.
A (belated) Happy New Year to you, my friend!
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