A friend of mine emailed me an article from the New York Times knowing it was in perfect alignment with the work I do. I have included in this blog a portion of that article from December 24, 2007
A Rabbi of His Time, With a Charisma That Transcends It
In 1965, after walking in the Selma-to-Montgomery civil-rights march with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was at the Montgomery, Ala., airport, trying to find something to eat. A surly woman behind the snack-bar counter glared at Heschel - his yarmulke and white beard making him look like an ancient Hebrew prophet - and mockingly proclaimed: "Well, I'll be damned. My mother always told me there was a Santa Claus, and I didn't believe her, until now." She told Heschel that there was no food to be had.
In response, according to a new biography, "Spiritual Radical: Abraham Joshua Heschel in America, 1940-1972" by Edward K. Kaplan (Yale) Heschel simply smiled. He gently asked, "Is it possible that in the kitchen there might be some water?" "Yes," she acknowledged. "Is it possible that in the refrigerator you might find a couple of eggs?" "Perhaps," she admitted. "Well, then," Heschel said, "if you boiled the eggs in the water, that would be just fine."
She shot back, "And why should I?"
"Why should you?" Heschel said. "Well, after all, I did you a favor."
"What favor did you ever do me?"
"I proved," he said, "there was a Santa Claus."
And after the woman's burst of laughter, food was quickly served.
The article went on to say:
....Her mockery is defused, the interaction shifted to the mundane. It is as Heschel were saying: "I understand I'm not what you're used to. But I'm prepared to meet you casually accepting your comparison to a make-believe figure. But surely you can see that your anger is not justified?"
What a magnificent example of emotional energy management and not allowing the Gremlin to take over. As we maintain our peace within and come from a place of love and compassion, the outer circumstances have no power over us.
I love receiving articles I can share on my blog. So if there's anything you come across that you think is in alignment with my blog, please feel free to email me with the information.




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