Gratitude and Growth

I am writing this blog at a time where I have grave concerns for our country, for Israel and the rest of the world. I worry when our leaders forget that they are to represent what is in the best interest of all of the people to whom they are supposedly accountable and instead are more concerned about their individual fiefdoms. It used to be that we would speak of those countries who were led by individuals who did not think of the masses and be grateful that OUR country was not that country, and now…. I am worried, afraid, ashamed and so much else. That being said, I would like to think that contextually our expectations have evolved for many, hopefully the majority of us, and that we will be set back on a course of reason where we can talk through our differences with respect and honor, and not outshout those with whom we disagree. The very fact that this can be an expectation or even hope on any level represents growth – growth in what we hope for our fellow human beings, hope in what we ask of ourselves and hope in building a better and more secure world of cooperation and caring.

We don’t always see this growth in our involvements and actions, but sometimes if we just stop and think, we get to acknowledge with tremendous gratitude their presence. I am grateful that all of our children are doing things to make this planet and community of ours a better world. Our son Brian is working as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for children at risk. Talie is working to make medicine a more caring practice. Rachie is working with the Jewish Community Relations Council in Boston on many social justice concerns, presently consumed with protecting people who have been in their community as contributing members who fear deportation at present. Our daughter, Yoella, is maintaining her ethical and moral standards and bringing them to the practice of law. Our inherited children through marriage are also amazing, working on Environmental Concerns (Jeremy), guiding Jewish students at Vassar through their faith and identity journeys (Liz) and finishing Rabbinical school while bringing grace and high ethical standards to communities with whom she has contact (Mimi).

We all share frustrations with what is going on in our world. Yet, here I am with seven members of the next generation each working to make things better – to bring us to a higher level of caring and compassion than people long ago dared to hope for. Additionally, we all surround ourselves with those who also have memories of better times and hopes for better futures. It’s so hard to watch the news every day – any news – as no matter which way you turn, it’s clear that too many people have lost that sense of all people being created in the image of God. Yet, we are living at a time when more people than ever are volunteering, taking initiatives, reaching out to others. That is growth. I would like to think that we do not need a catastrophe to spur people on to good action, but in looking at the big picture, it is clear that more people are doing more things to help and share with others. That is clearly amazing growth.

Several weeks ago, I was walking home from synagogue on Shabbat and a woman beeped her horn and stopped the car. We chatted for a bit as we were both moms when our sons were going through school. I had not seen her son, one of our son Brian’s classmates for many years. There was this full-grown man sitting in the front seat and when Teddy said hi, I almost fell over. Of course, his mom remarked that I had a son that had grown up as well. The difference, I said, is that when you watch and see the day to day process, you don’t see the dramatic difference in the same way.

I would like to think that we can use this lesson – that we are watching situations evolve day to day. But if we step back and look at the level of social entrepenerialship in our world, if we consider the large numbers of relatively young adults who are doing so much and not just concerned with themselves, if we take notice of some of the very creative partnerships that are being build and if we stop to consider that so many who believe in the goodness and future of humanity are working so hard to protect it, we will indeed have gratitude for the growth that has occurred even if the Six O’Clock news does not document it.