Sal's Reflections

I was in my mid thirties when I pursued my Doctorate and one of my classmates was in her late fifties.When she told her husband that she wanted to go back and finish a Ph.D he responded by telling her that was rather foolish.He informed her that she would be in her sixties when she finished. Clearly he thought age was an impediment to continued learning. She reflected on his counsel, and initially decided not to return to the University.
After reflecting she thought”either way if I am healthy I will be in my sixties in this time period “so she decided to pursue her dream.After graduation she went on to become a Dean in a University in England and had a marvelous run.
None of us are finished products, and continuing to grow and learn should never be closed because of our age.

I spent five wonderful years in Westfield and will be headed there this evening. Thanks to my dear friend Rabbi Chuck Kroloff I will give a keynote at the Temple tomorrow at lunchtime.Memories are exploding in my brain as I prepare my talk, and the reservoir of blessings from that time period are endless. Much of what I know about life I learned from so many, and their wisdom has enhanced every aspect of my life.There were days of great joy and sorrow that remain in my heart and soul.

GOOD NEWS:My publisher has allowed me to give up to fifty copies of Hitler’s Priest free whenever I have the opportunity to speak to a group or organization. The only cost is postage.

Also up to twelve free copies for a book club.Cost again is only postage.

One of the wonderful qualities that my sister Tina possessed was the immediate support of every venture of her friends and loved ones.If I opened a Taco restaurant in Bangladesh Tina would make her plane reservations and be my first customer.It was so comforting having such support, and modeled for me how I should be for others.Certainly we should have valued input into others personal and business ventures, but it is well to know that many dreams have been shut down by offering just the practical.Having someone behind us encouraging and trying to understand why we seek something is so vital.I hope that in our travels we have supporters and also realize how critical our aid and counsel are to others.

When we are in the middle of a crisis or serious challenge it is normal to feel overwhelmed. However, it is of some benefit to remind ourselves that this is not the first time we have been confronted with a major hurdle. At a certain age most if not all have known the pain of loss,personal disappointments ,illness and probably the death of a friend or loved one.Those times were certainly painful but we found the resources and personal strength and will to get through those losses.Courage is not only found on battlefields .It is resident in everyday life, and if we look backwards we will see that we made choices that enabled us to move forward.There may be scars on our minds because of the prior pain ,but those scars should also remind us that we have the ability to solve most challenges.

Seventy years ago the world had its first view of Auschwitz one of the killing factories where the Nazis murdered countless innocents.The images of emaciated survivors and mounds of human corpses shocked anyone with an ounce of human compassion.Through the years I have had the privilege of speaking with and interviewing survivors and their families, and those moments live in my soul.It is one thing to see the carnage on a newsreel, but actually listening to the horror first hand has a lasting impact.
Auschwitz and the other camps did not happen overnight, they began with racial speech and labels, and ultimately led to the gas chambers.Millions all over the globe still experience the pain and cruelty that bias fosters and Auschwitz is a reminder of where those words spoken with hatred can lead. Never again ,not only for the Jews,but for all oppressed people should be a slogan that makes us speak out for those who have no voice.

One of the lingering results of past failures is that at the memory level this can prevent new risk taking. Many times the memory is deep within us, and there are times when the residue is not really conscious. In order not to have these memories govern the present and future it is important to replace them with new memories of success.The new memories do not have to be earth shattering, but we know from study after study that when a person succeeds at something they are more open to going further.

The point is to take a baby step toward something you have been thinking about for a long time. Structure this big toe out of your comfort zone so that it is almost a sure lock to work. Repeating this over a few times will create new memories, and allow you to take more than a few baby steps.

Being the Lone Ranger and trying to figure out every angle and challenge rarely reaps great results. I have found that sharing the challenge, and the perceived obstacles with a posse often produces new information and a bevy of choices. A friend shared with me that whenever she is ready to embark on a new adventure she gathers a few of the people who support her for an “idea” sharing session. She lays out the goal and her hurdles, and seeks guidance from the group. It never fails that new approaches are gained from this, plus she now has allies along the way.We don’t always have to go it alone.