I was the only Christian and recovered alcoholic at the Austin Torah Study and found that the insights to be illuminating and the conversations bridged the gap of ancient knowledge and wisdom long since forgot
The Rabbi was a learned man and the discussions were spirited and cerebral. The discussion that Tuesday noon was about anger, a topic as common as breathing and dealt with as in as many ways as they were people who participated in the emotional tirade of fear and self hatred.
It has been said misery Loves Company, this is not necessarily true, as misery Demands Company, so is angers immediate plea of on uncontrolled distraction in a burst of grandiosity
The Rabbi’s conclusion and ecclesiastical advice was That just before we get angry, God was about to bless us, at the moment God wants to descend from above, the evil urge wants to ruin that, thus, one should always guard himself against anger not to ruin the good that heaven wants to bestow
If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size? ~Sydney J. Harris
That Sunday week I was a visitor at my daughter’s regular spiritual enclave, a man familiar to me set himself to speak from the pulpit of recent memory. He spoke of an idle inquiry to his wife of 20 years, he continued Honey if you had the choice of the world to make you happy this night what would it be? She blurted right out with pristine simplicity from a life lived without pretense or guile She said with a smile of contentment a bowl of Lucky charms cereal and a block Buster video and you close and next beside me.
The cupboard was full to the brim but absent alas of the Irish prized sweet cereal. Honey would you like to accompany me to the supermarket and give direction to which particular video rental would round out your perfect evening. Reaching the cereal station destination he had gone in on his own as she was in her slippers and house coat robe, she opted to wait in the ancient Volvo alone. Upon his return somehow the love of his life was diddling with the window when it broke with a locked down stroke. Upon this final straw that make up the dog pile of life’s little annoyances his anger was pricked as it welled up in a justifiable wave, he after all was trying to do a good deed and she managed to muck it up, he was about to use some harsh speech when he paused and reflected he would not ruin her perfect evening, he would spend an hour or two after tomorrows regular work day and repair the window as good as new.
The evening was better than a success and upon retiring His love of twenty years confessed this was the best night of her life and that he was the love and the light of her life and that he was her beloved eternal companion.
Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.
~Ambrose Bierce
The morning was met with an accidental and unforeseen tragedy, while in her morning shower she slipped fell down and broke her neck. Johnny was left an unexpected widower. His glimpse of eternity came with her parting words that he holds more precious than gold
That he was the love and the light of her life and that he was her beloved eternal companion If He would have gotten angry it would have been only harsh words that would have been met with the intrigue that ringed in his ears as guilt would have been his cold thoughtless gift and not the peace he received of her eternal rest.
“Either God is everything
or else He is nothing. God either is or He isn’t. What
was our choice to be?” page 53, the book — Alcoholics Anonymous
One must pass in this world through some confusion
Some obstacles, some changes, until he understands a man has to pass this world on a very narrow bridge and the truth is sharp like a strand of hair and the main thing is not to be afraid at all, we’ve got to rejoice and never forget what we really are. (Our proper place in the world) There is God, there’s only God. (Ushpizin)
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Shalom
Joseph
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