Genesis 12. God said to Abram (Abraham), “Leave everything behind and go to a place I’ll show you when you get there.” That’s a loose translation of a very familiar verse. However we translate the Hebrew, the outcome is the same. There are times in life when we leave familiar territory for something we’ve never known.
Earlier this week, I participated in an interfaith luncheon sponsored by CanCare, an organization with the mission “to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.” In a program I moderated with a panel of two clergy and two caring professionals, we learned about the journey of those living with and caring for those who are living with cancer. Forced to leave what was once a regular routine of life’s tasks and responsibilities, they found themselves on a new and sometimes difficult journey. Though they didn’t know where their journey would take them, they were all eager to tell us that they found blessings along the way.
One gentleman told us that he was inspired by the joy he finds in each day. He daily recites the Psalm verse, “This is the day that God has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” Another panelist explained how new relationships among caring colleagues helped him focus on what matters most in life. Friendships are deeper, he said, and time with family means more than ever. A nurse told us that she’s more attuned to her patients’ needs and the effects that cancer has had on the whole family, not just the patient. A clergy person reminded us how a silent embrace without words can also bring comfort in times of anxiety or sadness.
Ultimately, life’s journey for any of us can be hard. Cancer can make it harder. But, CanCare panelists taught us that the destination God will show us doesn’t have to come after many years or long life. The destination is here and now. It’s in the moments that we embrace our family, spend time with our friends, collaborate with our colleagues, and see God in our joys and our sorrows. We can reach those destinations as often as we wish, or at least as often as we strive to get there.
Sadly, I see families struggle with longstanding issues that separate them unnecessarily. Maybe it’s easier to keep fighting if it’s all they know. I see individuals wrestle with personal “demons” they won’t take time to put down. Maybe it’s more interesting to have on-going and familiar conversations about personal strife. I see Jewish men and women who think faith is something they can live without. Maybe it’s more heroic to bear the burdens of life, alone. Maybe.
Personally, I’ve swallowed hard to make peace in my extended family where religious turf issues could have caused permanent rifts. I’ve wrestled with issues of being an identical twin, and won my individuality and my friendship with my brother. I used to think I was strong enough to face each day, alone, but faith in God as a Jew has always given me more strength and deeper humility. And, the blessing?
Everyday I thank God for what I can do, and to pardon me for what I cannot. Then I think about what I’m going to do better tomorrow, with God’s help and in partnership with those who are in my life, my family and my congregation. Maybe you and I, like the CanCare panelist, can recite the Psalm verse, “This is the day God has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it,” and remember that here and now, this is our time and this is our blessing.
From my desk to yours, Shabbat Shalom.
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