Optimism & Pessimism

I tapped into a part of myself that’s generally under wraps. Mummified, really. This part of me, in case you’re wondering, is my integrity. My authenticity. Not that I’ve been living a lie, but I haven’t been so honest with the world, not even with myself...

When I became sick (diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia), I had a choice. I could cry and become depressed and spend a lot of time in bed, or I could live, really live . . .

In my relationships, particularly with my kids, whatever is painful or dysfunctional seems to eclipse the good, to obliterate it . . .

She says that she is running on empty. She says that there is vast, useless space inside of her. She looks the same on the outside. But things are subtly falling apart. She is bored literally to tears even though her schedule is full. She can’t find meani...

I know you asked the school before you left today “if they knew what they were doing to a kid who had really been trying so hard.” And I know they didn’t have a reply for you . . .

I just received our monthly credit card bill. On it was a month's worth of food shopping, as well as my utilities and phone bills. There were no luxuries; everything was a bare necessity. I gasped when I saw the total. How are we going to make it?

There had been a glitch in the computer system and appointments had been double-booked. In short, it was a mess, and the wait would be very long.

My stomach fell; my heart skipped beats. My throat had a lump in it, and tears were about to burst forth on my cheeks. I was exhausted, worn out and drained. We have no one to call, no one to turn to...

In contrast to such a luminous month, Tishrei is followed by the month of Cheshvan, a month where the soul feels like it is permanently seeing behind darkened sunglasses. How should the soul cope with the grind of daily life, without the spiritual heights...

Not one time do we mention our wrongdoings or ask for forgiveness on this awesome day. Why? Because on this Day of Judgment our words have a powerful effect, and our prayers have the strength to transform . . .