A Soulful Journey

  A man had written to the Rebbe in roughly these terms: “I am depressed. I am lonely. I feel that life is meaningless. I try to pray, but the words do not come. I keep mitzvot but find no peace of mind. I need the Rebbe’s help.” The Rebbe sent a brilliant reply without using a single word. He simply circled the first word of every sentence and sent the letter back. The word in each case was “I.” -Rabbi Jonathan Sacks To be happy is to realize it's about "us" not "me."

  A famous writer was in his study. He picked up his pen and began writing: ** Last year, my gall bladder was removed. I was stuck in bed due to this surgery for a long time. ** The same year I reached the age of 60 and had to give up my favorite job. I had spent 30 years of my life with this publishing company. ** The same year I experienced the death of my father. ** In the same year my son failed in his medical exam because he had a car accident. He had to stay in the hospital with a cast on his leg for several days.  ** And the destruction of the car was a second loss. At the end he wrote: Alas! It was such bad year!! When the writer's wife entered the room, she found her husband looking sad and lost in his thoughts. From behind his back she read what was written on his paper. She left the room silently and came back shortly with another paper on which she had written her summery of the year and placed it beside her husband's writing. When the writer saw her paper, he read...

A businessman opened a new office and a good friend wanted to send him a bouquet of flowers. Arriving at the new office, he saw the laurel with the words: "Rest in peace." Irate, he raced down to the florist who had sent the arrangement.  "Well," said the man, "look at the bright side. Be optimistic. Someone has a wreath at his grave that reads, "Good luck in your new location." It is always better to laugh than grouse.  It is also better to think the best rather than the worst.  Try it.  It will brighten your day.  Even your life.

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most   trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring   that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which   gives you six months to find it." "If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I   will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?" "It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it,   he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy."   Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to   give his minister a little taste of humility. Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he   could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a   walk in one of he poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a   merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on...

A father was arguing with his son for wanting to marry a woman of whom he did not approve. “I can find you a girl who is rich, young and beautiful.” “No, father, I want to marry Sarah.” “And why do you insist on marrying Sarah?” “We are in love with each other, father, and I believe she will make me happy.” “Well, and if she makes you happy – what good will it do?” Cute story with a powerful truth.   It is true so people are good companions for life’s journey but no one should make us happy or sad.  We find it within ourselves.

'Do I wither up and disappear, or do I make the most out of my time left?' . . . He   told his friends that if they really wanted to help him, they would treat him not with sympathy but with visits, phone calls, a sharing of their problems, the way they had always shared their problems, because Morrie had been a wonderful listener. . . He was intent on proving that dying was not synonymous with uselessness. . .  'Am I going to withdraw from the world, like most people do, or am I going to live? I decided I'm going to live, or at least try to live, the way I want, with dignity, with courage, with humor, with composure.'. 'Dying is only one thing to be sad over, Mitch. Living unhappily is something else. So many people who come to visit me are unhappy.' Tuesdays with Morrie

A bus driver in Colorado told people he would be back in one minute. He left, came back five minutes later with coffee and donuts for everyone. People were astounded.  They called the television and the radio. Later, the bus driver was surrounded by the press and asked, “Why did you do it?” ”I did not want the publicity. I have just never seen such a depressed group of people.”   - Bernie Siegel Imagine if we all acted like that.

As I stumble through life, help me to create more laughter than tears.  Never let me become so indifferent that I will fail to see the wonder in the eyes of a child.  Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people, make them forget, at least momentarily, the unpleasantness of their lives.  And in my final moment, may I hear You whisper: "When you made My people smile, you made Me smile."    - The Clown's Prayer

Once upon a time, a hungry crow perched on a fig tree; patiently, he was waiting for the figs to ripen to a juicy yellow.   However, it was still early in the season,   and the figs were hard and green and inedible. A fox watched the crow sit there, day after day after day.   Finally, the fox asked: “Why have you become such a fixture in this field?” “I am hungry,” said the bird. “You are hungry?” repeated the fox.   “If you are hungry, then you had best be off and find some food.” “I like the figs: I am waiting for the figs to ripen,” said the crow. “Do not be a fool – Hope has overtaken our senses,” said the fox.   “A wise poet once said that hopes are but the dreams of those who are awake.   Hope can only delude you, foolish bird; it will never fill your belly.” “Ah, my fine four-footed friend,” said the bird, “the world has many wise men.   Another wise man said: ‘We must always hope.   Even when our dreams seem to be a delusions,...

George Bernard Shaw said: “ This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one … the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.”

Hanoch of Aleksandrov explained how this world can be compared to a wedding hall. "A man came to an inn in Warsaw.  In the evening there floated music and sounds of dancing coming from the adjacent house. "They must be having a wedding," he thought. The next evening he heard the same sounds and the next evening as well. "How can there be so many weddings in one family?" he wondered. The innkeeper answered, "That house is a wedding hall.  Today there is one wedding and tomorrow there will be another." "It is the same with this world," told Rabbi Hanoch.  "People are always enjoying themselves.  But some days it is one person and other days it is another.  No single person is happy all the time."  -Francine Klagsbrun

A Chinese scholar was paradoxically troubled by sorrowful thoughts during what was ostensibly his happiest hour.   He sensed that he had reached the apex of his career: happiness, wisdom, wealth, personal and public success had all been granted to him.   Now, as he was celebrating the marriage of his youngest child, he felt that his fortunes could only begin moving in a downward direction.   The last few years had been distinguished by unfailing accomplishments, a series of successes that were now crowned with the wedding of his youngest child.   Aware that he could go no higher, fear and trembling overwhelmed him as he speculated upon the likely collapse of his good fortunes.   “If I could only improvise a tool with which to fasten the wheel of my life at its present point, I would be the happiest man on earth,” he thought.   -  Rabbi Moshe Weiss What is there.  Just this moment.

“A small trouble is like a pebble.   Hold it too close to your eye, and it puts everything out of focus.   Hold it at proper viewing distance, and it can be examined and classified.   Throw it at your feet, and it can be seen in its true setting, just one more tiny bump on the pathway to eternity.” –Celia Luce Take your pain and hold it at arm’s length.   Give it the perspective that it needs in the grander, larger view of life.