Sal's Reflections

This year has brought tremendous pain and suffering to many here and abroad, and it may appear that some situations are beyond solutions. However, I am constantly reminded of the power of “one” in the world. On countless occasions I have seen someone in face of unbelievable odds change circumstances that appeared hopeless. Faced with political and social mountains that seem overwhelming it is helpful to realize there is tremendous power in being a barnacle for a cause whether it be the issue of endless gun violence ,or a just peace for the Jews and Palestinians. The New Year brings again the opportunity to not accept the shrug of the shoulders but rather offers the rolling up of our sleeves. The power of “one “in the end will make the difference..

It is not really hard to let go of the old year and welcome the new. However, when the outgoing year has been one that contains the death of a dear friend it is difficult to close the chapter on a wonderful life. My friend Sid Lehmann died this year, and though he is no longer physically here I will take his friendship and what he means to me into 2013..Sid touched so many lives with his never ending passion for the persons often ignored and marginalized. His presence is more than memory because his life was a model of living for others, and I constantly draw on much of what he taught me.May his tireless work for creating a just society be carried on by all who were privileged to know him.

A friend who was so moved by the murders in Connecticut asked why I had such passion for all those killed years ago in Europe. I responded by telling him to imagine the atrocity in Connecticut happening every day for a six year period. The Nazi’s murdered one million Jewish children. I will never forget the victims in Connecticut nor will I put an expiration date on those children murdered in the Holocaust.

I saw the movie Les Miserables this week and there is a beautiful line in a song that states “to know love is to see the face of God” Whether you are a believer or not, the line is so poignant because love is the most vital emotion in the universe. It is the catalyst for the poet,. the author, songwriter and artist. It is also the wellspring of kindness and charity. To love and be loved is the harbor where we shed our fears and become the persons we were meant to be. As the old year closes and the new one begins may love spawn billions of acts of kindness that become more and more inclusive. May the pain and sorrow of those that have lost so much be buoyed by the experience of love. and may children all over the world be held and cared for by those whose hearts have been enriched by love.

On Christmas morning I had the joy of speaking with my five year old granddaughter Erica. She was so animated telling me about Santa and all of the wonderful experiences of her morning. It was such a wondrous experience but tempered by the realization of what the homes in Connecticut were feeling. Pain for the families can sometimes be even be more difficult at this time of celebration and festivities. The world will go on, but for those whose world is shattered it is often just getting through the next few moments. It is a privilege to share the wonder of my grandchild, but it is also the responsibility to do whatever I can to comfort and to help prevent it from happening again and again.

In this time of joy and sorrow and sorrow a friend spoke to me about his moral compass. He said he aspires daily to follow the prayer of St. Francis I believe if all of us took this as a guide the world would be enriched.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen .

In this festive time of celebrations one of the joys is to watch the level of wonder through the eyes of children. The various faiths with traditions that enable children to feel the joy of love in their families warms all of our hearts, There is the opening of gifts, and the celebration of meals with the attendance of loved ones. However, in Newtown, and countless other places there will be empty chairs and unopened presents. The searing reality of what has been lost will be intensified in this joyous season. It behooves the rest of us to give whatever sustained effort we can pledge to not allow the pressure of the moment to wane. Politicians and all involved must see and understand that we will not forget the empty chairs in the next news cycle.

I approached yesterdays NRA news conference with an open mind hoping that the organization would provide insights into a complex challenge. Instead I was subjected to a diatribe of blame that completely ignored the key issues that must be addressed. Wayne La Pierre provided a rambling hostile series of unrelated selected facts to establish the complete innocence of his organization in the violent gun culture of our world. His answer to the crisis was to provide more guns in our schools, and he reinforced the concept of the “good guys” and the” bad guys” He never for one second addressed the issues of assault rifles and multi clip bullet magazines.,There will be no meaningful dialogue on the part of the NRA if this approach continues, and I am afraid that the intransigent posture of this CEO will bring nothing to the common strategies that are required.

Years ago I interviewed a Holocaust survivor who lost all of her immediate family members in one day.This unbelievable tragedy almost totally wiped out her will to live, but somehow she found the courage and strength to go on. She told me” you never fully forget the pain and the sorrow but you must live for them and others. I have tried to be the most loving and kind person possible so that I could make them live through my life. “She went on after this tragedy to have four children and in her words “despite the monsters I still believe in the beauty of life and love. “Her words have come back to me in the midst of this recent massacre. There is no way that the wonderful families so immersed in grief will ever forget their loved ones, but hopefully the wonderful memories of their loved ones will sustain them through all of the barriers ahead.