I am Jewish and husband is Catholic. Tonight starts Yom Kippur, the Day of Attonment, where we atone for our sins, forgive ourselves for our sins and forgive those around us and ask god for forgiveness. I was at services tonight and the Rabbi was talking about how important forgiveness was. He said that even though the other guy who did whatever he did to you is a total schmuck, forgiveness isn't for him, it's for you. When anger stays in your body and in your heart, it makes you heavy, unhappy, bitter, resentful. When you can let go, it's not for the other guy, it's for you.
Unfortunately, I'm not there yet. I thought about it and I talked to husband about it. But I'm just not there. Husband said that he understood. The Rabbi talked about gratitude and how if you can't let go of your anger, to fill your heart for gratitude and eventually you won't have room for anger. I tried that. Here are some things I'm grateful for tonight.
1.)My cat who is laying next to me and staring at me and purring so loud that I can hear him.
2.)My apartment
3.)My career
4.)My office
5.)How few hours I have to work each week to earn a solid living.
6.)My ability to run 8 miles then still spend the night at Synagogue
7.)My really wonderful husband, even though he did stupid jerky things, he is a great human being.
8.)My parents who totally rock.
9.)My mom surviving ovarian cancer and feeling healthy now.
10.)Netflix
8.
That's a beautiful list Laney. There are a lot of things on there, that I wish I had, but I bet I have things in my life that you would wish that you had. Isn't it always that way?
ReplyDeleteI'm Jewish too... (but, from southern Indiana, originally, so not really Jeeeeeeeeeeeeewish) Took a break from the high holy day marathon this year. Usually I sing in a glorious choir, but I just couldn't face (literally) all of the RICH hypocrites out there. (well, some of them, anyway)