A Soulful Journey

Radio personality Earl Nightingale once told the story of an angry father yelling at his 12-year old son, “Why don’t you grow up??!” Struggling to control his tears the boy replied between sobs, “That’s what I’m trying to do!”  C hildhood should not be easily dismissed or forgotten, even in old age.

We are told our tradition to speak well of the dead.   We remember them for what was best, brightest in their lives.   Finding imperfections is not difficult.   It is far too easy.  Finding goodness, however, is what Torah demands of us. A rabbi was called to bury a scoundrel.   He went to an older colleague for advice but there was no help.   The deceased was just a nasty man. At the funeral the rabbi eulogized him: “He was no exactly pious.    He did not have any real friends.   His wife is not here because she disliked him.   His children also would not come because of their bitterness.   He gave his mother a heart attack…but compared to his brother he was a saint.”