KEEP SMILING
(188
pages)
WaitWe spend most of our days
running, jumping, striving. There is so much
for us to achieve andso little time, how else can we live? It
therefore, frustrates
to us to hear the words: 
‘Stop’; ‘Join the line, wait your
turn’; ‘Be patient’.Still -- and we know it -- these moments are also Hashem’s gifts to us. They are opportunities to reach for greatness. For when we enter the world of quiet -- that moment ofinactivity, that minute of silence -- we feel and taste eternity. We are in this world to gain, to grow. We read, we learn, and become wiser. We do, we build,and become wealthier.We act with kindness, we pray, and we lift ourselves into higher worlds. Sometimes, though in our business, in our importance, we forget that our life in this worldis temporary.It will soon be over. A moment of waiting, of delay, presses us into thisreality. With this in mind then, we can convert our most frustrating moments into our most pleasurableones. Magic Wands Imagine we had magic wands. We could just wave them at whatever troubles us, and our problem would disappear. Well, the truth is that we do have such wands. What are they? -- A one-thought formula. We need only think that that which seems to be an issue -- a pain, an inconvenience, a frustration -- is really a tool. Hashem gives us a spade with which to dig up buried treasure -- the treasure of reaching our potential, of uncovering our own glory and greatness. This tool is the hurdle we must jump, to strengthen ourselves, to empower our personalities. No person is as happy as the person who reaches greatness. No person is as content as the person who activates his potential. He or she is truly the one who just keeps on smiling. Voices One of our great gifts is the ability to hear. We hear physical sound, music, speech. Then we also hear with our inner ear. We hear of an event. We lend an ear to a friend. Moreover, as we listen, we understand more than is being said. We hear ideas that hide behind the words, ideas that wait only to speak with us. This input helps us fine-tune and improve our flight path through life. We need to listen seriously to these messages -- to this direction and advice. The voice that speaks to us -- that suggests to us where to go and what to do -- is the voice of Hashem. Through our intellect, Hashem whispers to us -- and we must take care to hear Him, to follow all that He tells us. The Divine Presence’s advice is the greatest advice of all -- and it leads us always to that which is good and pleasant. Pleasure "What’s your pleasure? A small child prefers a hard raspberry-flavored candy. Never mind that the flavoring is artificial, or that it glistens only with saliva, or that it is bad for his teeth. This is his pleasure. On the other hand, a more mature person prefers a white wine. In it, he tastes sunny orchards, years of mellowing in cool cellars, the oak of the barrel. This is his pleasure. Hashem in giving us His Torah did us a special favor. By following its rules, we train ourselves to appreciate higher pleasures. We do acts of charity and kindness, and we learn the pleasure of giving. We study Torah, and we come to value justice and truth. We pray, and we understand the ultimate joy of sitting near Hashem. How do these pleasures surpass those of eating pizza and drinking beer? -- The answer is that physical pleasures are fine -- but they are only ours while we sit in this world. The ability to enjoy higher joys however, is a part of our soul. As such, it belongs to us forever. [
Homepage
/ We appreciate your donation - please click here ]
All rights reserved (c) Avraham Tzvi Schwartz |