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Who are our elders?
In the past, this section has focused on the teachings found in our Written and Oral Tradition. The "elders" were our rabbis of old.
Recent experiences have convinced me that the time has come to examine the concept of elders.
Who are our elders? That is, who are the people that can teach us things that no one else can teach us? When put this way, the answer that comes to mind is much broader than I once understood.
I have discovered that our elders surround us and they come is all ages. And the older we get in life, the more important it is to rediscover the wisdom
of our various youths.
So, who are these elders? They are babies, young children, teens, college students, young adults and our grandmothers and grandfathers. They are everywhere if we choose to see them. If you have no clue what all of this means, consider the following lessons and who can best teach them.
1. Color and Movement
Everyday we are blessed to see color and movement, so much so
that we take it for granted.
If you want to remember how incredible is sight, learn from the young baby. There is nothing as amazing as a child who discovers the mobile overhead, or her fingers, or colors. Watch her eyes. They open as wide as possible and focus their full attention on what they see. They "drink in" the sight in front of them. Nothing else in the entire world exists. Herein we also find a lesson in what it means to have kavanah – devoted attention.
2. Awe and Wonder in Nature
It's easy to see the awe and wonder in the rainbow that
spreads across the sky or in the mountain that dominates the horizon. But, few people feel as inspired by the dirt under their feet or the rock beside the path.
If you want to relearn how very special is each and every part of Creation, spend some time with young children (4-6 year olds). You won't believe how much you have been missing. Turn over a rock and just let there be a worm under it and the young child becomes fully animated. You can feel their excitement radiating from their bodies. Young children still have the ability to become excited by what your or I have come to accept as mundane and ordinary.
3. The Search is as Exciting as the Discovery
Remember when the Search was exciting
and not frustrating?
Remember when it was fun to be searching for meaning in life, in your life, in the cosmos? What happens is we start to get older and we begin to question what we have achieved and what we want or need to achieve. Perhaps it's time to remember how exciting it is to search for an answer to the question, "What does it all mean and where do I fit in? To relearn this lesson, we must turn to our teenagers who are searching for these answers every day of their lives whether they know it or not. But, spend some time with them and you'll know it. Teens naturally seek out the meaning of fairness. They continuously pit themselves against the most difficult obstacles in life – often times creating them when such obstacles don't exist.
4. The Meaning of Judaism
We come to a place in life where we are comfortable with
Judaism. We find synagogues where we feel comfortable. We reach a living of giving that is comfortable for us. We develop a cadre of friends with whom we feel comfortable celebrating the holidays.
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