Right now I am living in the 10 Days of Awe between Rosh Hoshana & Yom Kippor (Day of Atonement). Interestingly, the anniversary of 9/11 comes right in the middle of these 10 days.
Each day I work on doing some good deed as part of my honoring these 10 days. Yesterday, we took my grandson out to dinner for his birthday. He was born on 9/11/01. Who could foretell then that this day would loom so large in our lives?
Note: The photos are from my younger brother & sister-in-law’s recent visit to Iceland.
Today I visited the graves of my parents in Trenton. I also read about Flight 93 and the plans to make the area a State Park. We visited there last fall and it is a lovely spot for remembering those brave souls who died.
I brought home my prayer book to reprint some of the Meditations as part of my honoring this special time of year. Even if you are not Jewish, perhaps the words will ease the pain of this terrible day. They are from The Gates of Repentance, the prayer book we use for the Jewish High Holy Days.
Just as the hand, held before the eye, can hide the tallest mountains, so the routine of every day life can keep us from seeing the vast radiance and secret wonders that fill the world. Chasidic, 18th century
Therefore was a single human being created: to teach you that to destroy a single human soul is equivalent to destroying an entire world; and that to sustain a single human soul is equivalent to sustaining an entire world. And a single human being was created to keep peace among human beings, that no one might say to another: My lineage is greater than yours!   Misnah
Free will is given to every human being. If we wish to incline ourselves toward goodness and righteousness, we are free to do so; and if we wish to incline ourselves toward evil, we are also free to do that…Nothing holds us back from making this choice between good and evil—the power is in our hands. Maimonides, 12 century
Our sages taught: One who shames another in public has no share in the world-to-come. Therefore, one must take great care not to shame another in public, whether young or old, either by shameful name-calling or by tale-bearing.
Maimonides, 12th century
Glory to those who hope!
For the future is theirs:
Those who stand unflinching against the mountain
Shall gain its summit……Â David Rokeach
There is a grace that every dawn renews,
A loveliness making every morning fresh.
We will endure, we will prevail—
We, the children of Hope…..  Chaim Stern
Finally, here is a photo of my brother & his wife, shivering in Iceland! Thanx for the photos.
Great post, ES. I am still getting your blog through coll66 but need to change to collhunley@gmail.com Not sure how to do it.
Lovely photos of Iceland and meditations. One place I would like to see.
Barbara and I are going to Japan in November, guests of a Japanese man and Barbara’s American tea teacher. Both are tea masters and were here in August.
I thought of today’s heavy rain as tears for 9-11 and those who have suffered and died in Syria.
Last November I visited the Shanksville memorial and was quite touched, including all the plans for planting flowers/trees for the lost.
You have your heart in the right places.
Coll
Dear Ellen Sue, This puts religion and nature in perspective for your very special time of the year. My grandson was born on 9/13, but one year his birthday celebration was on the 11th. Without those who
put their lives in the line of fire, there would be no celebrations of any kind. God bless those who put their lives on hold so others may enjoy theirs.
Excellent choice of quotes. If only we would all follow these! I would definitely consider this post your “good deed” for the day.