Have a Little Faith

Day 112 – It is a long way back home. I let my old home there 2 hours prior to take off, 6 hours the first lag of my flight, 2 hours layover and 11 more hours of flight and then 3 ½ hours to get home!! It takes indeed a very long time to get back home.  On the plane I had plenty of time to read, so I finished this book I mentioned of Mitch Albom and it raises very interesting questions about faith as well as relationship between family members as well as just how much we care about other human beings. He is telling in parallel two stories one of his rabbi, who asked him to write his eulogy and the other of a pastor of a homeless church he got to know and admire because of the stirring the rabbi created in him. It is an amazing story of a man, who pulled himself from the lowest point possible being a criminal and a drug addict to become the leader of this little community he gathered around him of people at the edge of society that he help pull back and bring inspiration and hope into their lives. He called his church “I Am My Brother’s Keeper”  and this is what he did until his untimely death. It is a very moving story of how he finaly managed to put a stop to his downturn and lifted himself and recreated himself and was so humble as to think that nothing he’ll ever do can be atonement to his bad years but at least he is trying to do some good for the years he still has. I read it and it makes me ponder exactly that – are we our brothers’ keepers and if so, how do I practice that? It is so easy when we see misery to turn our back and dig into our good life with some lame excuses – they did it to themselves, what can I, as one individual do, or any such an excuse. The truth is we are afraid of that desperation, and from the thought that none of us is too far from there, so it is just too easy to look away. But the right way to approach is the way Henry did it – to open our heart and look, and lend a hand. Bring some food, offer hope. But to offer hope we have to find in ourselves and around us the powers larger and bigger than us; to offer hope to people who have lost everything is the realm of God and His army whether it’s a rabbi, a priest or an imam; I don’t have God in me so how can I offer hope to others? The only thing I can offer is physical help – food, clothing, maybe shelter.

I am thankful that I found and read this book. I am sure it will ripple within me for a while; I hope I will be able to keep this feeling and act upon it.  I am thankful to be in a position I can do that, I know it is so easy to fall off the ladder and be on the other end of it. I am thankful every day for the food I have on my table, for the clothing I have on my body, for the roof over my head and for the warm bed I can sleep in at night. I am most thankful of all for my wonderful children and the wonderful family I have.