The Dynamics of Life By Rabbi H. Rafael Goldstein, B.C.C.

Dirge without Music by Edna St. Vincent Malay I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust. A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, A formula, a phrase remains, - but the best is lost. The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, - They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve. More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. Down, down, down, into the darkness of the grave. Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave. I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned. I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust. A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, A formula, a phrase remains, - but the best is lost. The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, - They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve. More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. Down, down, down, into the darkness of the grave. Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave. I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.

After a While After a while, you learn the subtle difference Between holding a hand and chaining a soul. And you learn that love doesn ’ t mean leaning, And that company doesn ’ t always mean security. And you learn that kisses aren ’ t contracts, And presents aren ’ t promises. And you begin to accept your defeats With your head up and your eyes straight ahead, With the grace of an adult, Not the grief of a child. And you learn to build all your roads on today, Because tomorrow ’ s ground is too uncertain for plans, And futures have a way of falling down in mid- flight. After a while, you learn the subtle difference Between holding a hand and chaining a soul. And you learn that love doesn ’ t mean leaning, And that company doesn ’ t always mean security. And you learn that kisses aren ’ t contracts, And presents aren ’ t promises. And you begin to accept your defeats With your head up and your eyes straight ahead, With the grace of an adult, Not the grief of a child. And you learn to build all your roads on today, Because tomorrow ’ s ground is too uncertain for plans, And futures have a way of falling down in mid- flight. After a while you learn that even sunshine burns If you ask too much. So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. And you learn that you really can endure, And you learn that you really are strong, And you learn that you really have worth. And you learn, And you learn... With every good-bye, You learn. - (author unknown)

Psalm 23 The Holy One is my shepherd, I lack nothing. G!d makes me lie down in green pastures. G!d leads me beside still waters. G!d restores my spirit. G!d guides me on right paths, for that is G!d’s essence. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no harm, for You are with me. Your rod and your staff comfort me. You prepare a banquet for me in full view of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and steadfast love will pursue me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in the House of the Holy One forever. The Holy One is my shepherd, I lack nothing. G!d makes me lie down in green pastures. G!d leads me beside still waters. G!d restores my spirit. G!d guides me on right paths, for that is G!d’s essence. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no harm, for You are with me. Your rod and your staff comfort me. You prepare a banquet for me in full view of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and steadfast love will pursue me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in the House of the Holy One forever.

Memory Memory is a master artist, painting indelible pictures upon the mind ’ s canvas. Time pilfers our years, our hopes, even our griefs. But it cannot cross the threshold which leads to the domain of Memory. Here we resuscitate the past. Here we gather once more water lilies that died, but have come to life again in the pool of remembrance. -Alexander Steinbach There are three ways In which we respond to sorrow. On the first level, we cry; On the second level we are silent; On the highest level, we take sorrow – And turn it into song Abraham Joshua Heschel There are stars whose light reaches the earth only after they themselves have disintegrated. And there are individuals whose memory lights the world after they have passed from it. These lights shine even in the darkest nigh and illumine our path. - Hannah Senesh Memory is a master artist, painting indelible pictures upon the mind ’ s canvas. Time pilfers our years, our hopes, even our griefs. But it cannot cross the threshold which leads to the domain of Memory. Here we resuscitate the past. Here we gather once more water lilies that died, but have come to life again in the pool of remembrance. -Alexander Steinbach There are three ways In which we respond to sorrow. On the first level, we cry; On the second level we are silent; On the highest level, we take sorrow – And turn it into song Abraham Joshua Heschel There are stars whose light reaches the earth only after they themselves have disintegrated. And there are individuals whose memory lights the world after they have passed from it. These lights shine even in the darkest nigh and illumine our path. - Hannah Senesh

From The Lord is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of the 23rd Psalm by Harold Kushner

The Photo Album of my Mind The photo album of my mind Holds treasured thoughts of you, And I can almost see again The things we used to do. I hear your vloice, I see you smile, I feel you close to me. The photo album of my mind Shows me how we used to be. Time may have changed us through the years, But I will always find You’re just as I remember in The album of my mind. The photo album of my mind Holds treasured thoughts of you, And I can almost see again The things we used to do. I hear your vloice, I see you smile, I feel you close to me. The photo album of my mind Shows me how we used to be. Time may have changed us through the years, But I will always find You’re just as I remember in The album of my mind. And, as I turn page after page Such precious scenes I see, The photo album of my mind Is very dear to me. It holds the pictures of our past, Like reels of film unwind, I cherish all those photos in The album of my mind. - Jeane Losey

The Praises of Wonder I call upon the Source of Life The Power within and without The power that makes for Being and Nothingness, Joy and pain, suffering and delight. I call upon You To calm my fearful soul To open me to the Wonder of Truth. The transience of all things. In wonder was I conceived And in Wonder have I found my being. Thus I call upon You, The Source of Wonder, To open my heart to healing. In You I discover the mystery of life And the necessity of death. In You I see all things and their opposites Not as warring parties but as partners in a dance Whose rhythm is none other than The beating of my own soul. I call upon the Source of Life The Power within and without The power that makes for Being and Nothingness, Joy and pain, suffering and delight. I call upon You To calm my fearful soul To open me to the Wonder of Truth. The transience of all things. In wonder was I conceived And in Wonder have I found my being. Thus I call upon You, The Source of Wonder, To open my heart to healing. In You I discover the mystery of life And the necessity of death. In You I see all things and their opposites Not as warring parties but as partners in a dance Whose rhythm is none other than The beating of my own soul. Denial may come, But so too will acceptance. Anger may come But so too will calm. I have bargained with my fears And found them unwilling to compromise. So now I turn to You, to the Wonder that is my true nature. I abandon the false notions of separateness And embrace the Unity that is my true reality. I surrender not to the inevitable But to surprise, for it is the impossible That is life’s most precious gift. My tears will pass And so will my laughter. But I will not be silenced, For I will sing praises of wonder Through sickness and health; Knowing that in the end, this too shall pass. - Rami Shapiro

Salutation to the Dawn Look well to this day, for it is life, the very essence of living. In its brief course lie all truths and realities of existence - The wonder of growth, the glory of action. The splendor of achievement. While yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, today, well lived - makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, makes every tomorrow a vision of hope. I look well, therefore to this day. - Sanskrit meditation Look well to this day, for it is life, the very essence of living. In its brief course lie all truths and realities of existence - The wonder of growth, the glory of action. The splendor of achievement. While yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, today, well lived - makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, makes every tomorrow a vision of hope. I look well, therefore to this day. - Sanskrit meditation

I asked/ I received I asked God for health that I might do great things, I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked God for strength that I might lead, I was given weakness that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked God for riches that I might be happy, I was given poverty that I might wise I asked God for power that I might have the praise of people I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life, I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for, but everything that I hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am among all people most richly blessed. - anonymous I asked God for health that I might do great things, I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked God for strength that I might lead, I was given weakness that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked God for riches that I might be happy, I was given poverty that I might wise I asked God for power that I might have the praise of people I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life, I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for, but everything that I hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am among all people most richly blessed. - anonymous

Surviving To survive the high noon of diagnosis, We found optimistic eyeshades, Holy One, Blinders of hope for years to come, Setting our love fast with Your love. To survive illness’ overcast glare, We pulled out woven hats, Holy One, Our community of treatments and duties, A dailyness of life as it was. To survive the wornaway of days, the nights, We wrapped ourselves in hooded robes, Waking in dark hours Holy One, Praying near dawn for healing, dreamless sleep. To survive these enduring days, You draw taut the sheet of courage, Holy One, Binding us up in spent anger transformed, In enduring love. To survive alone, You draw me to You, Holy One, Remembering joys of unshaded brightness, Hatless, uncovered, unscathed. - Debbie Perlman To survive the high noon of diagnosis, We found optimistic eyeshades, Holy One, Blinders of hope for years to come, Setting our love fast with Your love. To survive illness’ overcast glare, We pulled out woven hats, Holy One, Our community of treatments and duties, A dailyness of life as it was. To survive the wornaway of days, the nights, We wrapped ourselves in hooded robes, Waking in dark hours Holy One, Praying near dawn for healing, dreamless sleep. To survive these enduring days, You draw taut the sheet of courage, Holy One, Binding us up in spent anger transformed, In enduring love. To survive alone, You draw me to You, Holy One, Remembering joys of unshaded brightness, Hatless, uncovered, unscathed. - Debbie Perlman