Giving Thanks for the Kindness of Strangers (Thanksgiving 2019 and Toledot 5780)

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of complete strangers, I am here; able to write this post. Thanks to their rescuing me from severe dehydration and moderate heatstroke, I am here and able to give thanks!

I met these strangers this summer near the summit of the Sleeping Giant Trail on Kauai. The hike to breathtaking views was very steep, muddy, and slippery in spots -- cool breezes mixed with intense summer humidity and rain. The reviews we read in advance of the hike underestimated, to my mind, the difficulty of this hike. We did not bring enough water or eat well enough before our early morning start. A recipe for near disaster and lots of drama . . . 

My Parents Brainwashed Me: I Call It Teaching (Chayei Sarah 5780)

Parents provide powerful legacies for their children. A few years ago, Ethan Metzger, then a high school senior in New York, delivered a slam poem about it. Ethan recited, "My parents did brainwash me. My mom she incessantly told me as a child again and again and again to just do the best you can. And that idea is now so ingrained in my mind that I don’t define success as whether I got an A or won the game but whether I gave it my all. You can call it brainwashing if you want. That’s fine. I call it teaching.” 

How did your parents brainwash you?

Discovering Our Unique Gifts Deep Inside (Lech Lecha 5780)

A parent visiting my office last night asked why there are so many colored pencils at the work table. "It's not the art room!" they exclaimed. 

Sure, I have them there for doodlers. More important, though, these pencils are a reminder to treasure the uniqueness of each student and a valuable lesson from this week's Torah portion. Lech Lecha begins with the divine directive to Abram that he leave his birthplace and everything familiar, then venture out to a destination not yet specified in order that Abram will become a blessing. (Genesis 12:1-2.)   

In Hebrew the directive, "lech lecha," usually is translated as "go forth" or "go! really go!" But the Kotzker Rebbe (19th century, Poland) reads the Hebrew more literally to mean “go into yourself.” That is, discover in yourself the unique gifts that belong only to you. Explore your highest potential. If you can activate that journey, then you will be a blessing to others. This framing is a reminder that these gifts deep inside are the ones we carry wherever we go. In my mind, these are the gifts that sustain throughout the journey of life no matter the detours or twists and turns.   the ones we bring with us wherever we go.  If we observe them and honor them, these gifts will sustain us throughout the journey no matter the destination.