Some moments in life leave you stuck, standing still, unable to move forward (or in any direction for that matter). I felt a literal version of this when it was time to leave the grave after we buried my father. I was stuck. I just stood there.
In January of this year, TIME magazine published an article about the terrible things that happen to lottery winners. The article quotes a study that found that 70% of people who come into large sums of money lose it only a few years later. The author goes on to cite several examples of worst-case scenarios involving big ticket winners, including bankruptcy and even murder.
Does anyone remember the book "Blue Highways: A Journey into America?" It was written by William Least Heat-Moon. As I recall, he was a divorced Native American English professor who converted an old panel van into a makeshift home, then traveled the small back road "blue highways" of America.
Truthfully, this was a difficult morning to wake up to. I started the day with a lot of questions. Is my country safe and secure? Are our savings and investments stable? Will my 3-month-old son be denied health care? Will my daughter still be able to freely belt out the same Hebrew songs many of you learned growing up in this very building?
It is my fervent hope that all who are able to vote do so, in every corner of this country. May the votes be cast fairly, and may we suffer no more than the normal margin of error as the votes are counted. Most importantly, may we all find ways to heal the divisiveness that defines our country by seeking justice and equity for all, yes, and by working on how we respond to those who have very different perspectives.
I’m sure by this point in the election cycle, you’ve heard plenty of people from all political persuasions talking about the dilemma of choosing the “lesser of two evils.” Though the label “evil” might be intended as hyperbole, that doesn’t change the fact that our two major parties nominated candidates who are viewed unfavorably among a significant number of people, even from within their own parties.
It's 10:40 p.m. on Thursday, and I'm reflecting on another typical day. I had an early morning meeting with a congregant, then headed over to Federation at 9:00 to meet with Israel's Consul General to the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Andy David. Dr. David is an impressive man of intelligence and candor.
