To accept those with whom I differ, to respect those against whom I strive. To wish for them to be the people they hope to be.
TOLERANCE
The key to allow me to live with others, to be given unconditionally, and to never be withdrawn.
RESPECT
Of the most defining of strengths, it is not modesty, now is it putting others first. It is a mindset of a deep sense of awe towards everything around me.
HUMILITY
A gift given by G-d to me, to be protected, as it is defined by giving, not taking.
PRIDE
The courage to test my belief in me, in my Creator, and in those around me.
FAITH
Reaching inside of me every day, to demand of me, to recreate me.
HONESTY
A force, a power of its own – to be given to me as I give it to others.
LOVE
Alfred died of leukemia at the age of three.
In the moments of sunshine that were his
life and the great darkness that followed
his death, he taught his parents and
later, his brothers and sisters, some of the
secrets of living.
The brother I never met, the brother I
know.
(Excerpt from From Me to My Children by Ricky Cohen)
How could it be that there is so much to be learned from a child?
How can a child who has barely lived long enough to learn something – teach something?
Why is it that a child can be a role model for the essential character traits of tolerance, respect, humility, pride, faith, and love more effectively than an adult?
The answer is simple but extremely telling.
A child possesses something naturally – something that is born with him, and through which he sees and touches all that becomes his world: Honesty.
A child is simply, unconditionally, naturally: Honest.
As a result of his simple, unconditional honesty, a child can easily and seamlessly be tolerant, respectful… because he doesn’t yet know how to manipulate his thought processes and rationalize his actions.
As we stand in this most serious time of the year, we’re called upon to begin the process of repentance. Although repentance is a privilege granted to us, it may be the most challenging and difficult element of life.
The difficulty of repentance lies in the fact that it demands more of us than any law, custom or practice.
Repentance demands raw, unedited, unqualified: Honesty!
More than remorse, before one can begin to pray, well in advance of when sins are thrown away, and certainly before one can approach another with an apology, he/she must be rigorously honest about the person he is, how he got there and where this path will lead him.
“… Honesty is about reaching inside of me every day, to demand of me, to recreate me.”
The people with whom it’s easiest to be honest are those furthest from us – strangers and business associates. Honesty becomes dramatically more challenging as the circle gets closer to me – friends, family members, children, a spouse – people with whom the stakes become higher and the opportunity to rationalize certain behaviors becomes more expedient.
When it comes to looking objectively, courageously, honestly at myself, things become amazingly complicated; the rationalizations become extremely clever and the opportunity for a real confrontation with truth becomes slim.
Who am I today? How did I get here? And where is this going to lead me?
These questions are the truth tellers and the human honesty demanders. They should be applied to each of the key areas of a person’s life: Personal, spiritual, financial, social and intellectual.
If we are courageous enough to ask these questions and to answer them honestly we will become masters of repentance – masters of recreation – the most exalted of all men/women on the planet.
Let’s learn from our children. Let’s remove our adulthood and become childish in this respect. Let’s be honest with ourselves.
The three year olds in our lives and those who have touched our lives – for even a brief time – would expect nothing less.
Warmest regards,
Ricky
