So Hanukah/Hanukkah/Chanukah begins on Sunday night, and it's gotten me thinking about belief and faith. One aspect of Judaism that I really love is the importance placed on telling the story behind each holiday year after year, encouraging questions and deeper discussion. The story of Hanukah is one I've known by heart since I was a little kid. The Jews were being persecuted and Judah and the Macabees helped win their temple back and when they went to rededicate the temple there was only enough oil left to burn the candle for one day but the oil miraculously lasted eight days. See chabad.org for a more in depth look.
Anyway it reminded me of the power of faith, that so much more is possible than what we see at first glance. In our highly advanced technological world where you can walk around with an iphone telling you how to get anywhere you want to go and what music you just heard playing in a store, I think it's important to examine our belief in that which we cannot always see. I'm not talking about believing in God per se, just examining the role of faith in our lives. I think the more that we imagine possible, the more we open ourselves up to new experiences, people, ways of thinking. I don't think it's an easy thing to always have faith that you'll find love, happiness, fulfillment, but I believe it's incredibly beneficial for our well being to continue to do so.
My mom has often said that she wishes she could see the end of her life like the end of a book, that it would comfort her knowing how everything pans out, and then she could just relax and live her life. While I don't think I would want to know my ultimate fate, I do understand the impulse of wanting to know, say what your life will be like in 10 years. This is especially attractive since the pursuit of an artist is so fraught with frustration and uncertainty, anything definite that you have to look forward to is such a welcome gem.
Sometimes I think the older we get the harder it is to just "believe" and have faith in ourselves and all we are capable of. Remember all the things you believed in as a little kid? After reading The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar and Other Stories by Roald Dahl, I was totally convinced that if I just practiced enough and really really tried that I could be telekinetic, and who is to say that I can't? I think our bodies and minds are capable of way more than we think possible. As I light the candles of the menorah for the next 8 nights, I am going to remind myself to think beyond what I see and hear each day and remember that miracles can happen.
3 comments:
Hiya,
Very nicely stated and effectively persuasive. However, I must admit to digging the way your Mom views things as well.
I once had a friend way back when who was a licensed hypno-therpist and he conducted "past life regressions". In these sessions, you were put in an quasi-hypnotic state and via his maneuverings and suggestions, you could discern where you had been in past lives and perhaps, where you're headed in this one.
My experience was rather humdrum save the fact that we figured out that this was to be my last of 8 experiences on this plain. In short, we concluded that I have an old soul.
The net result to the event was that we defined that I was going to die at age 86 in this life.
So frankly, however flimsy a thesis, this notion has always oddly brought me comfort. It's as if I know when the show ends...just not how.
Happy Hanukkah!
Bob, thanks for your comments. That kind of makes me want to see a hypno-therapist. I can't believe you actually found out the age that you will be- that's kind of wild, but I get how it can be comforting. I have a feeling I might be an old soul too. Maybe that's why we bonded. Wishing you and your family all the best this holiday season!
Thanks Sarah. It's nice to remember that I have faith in many things. One of them is certainly you. Happy Holidays, my friend.
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