Editor’s note: With the tragedies we have experienced in recent times, most recently the flood victims in Texas, we are publishing this reflection from December 2012 written in the wake of the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting.
Over these last days since the horrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, we’ve been contemplating how we could reach out and offer some small comfort to the Community and in particular, to those families in such excruciating pain who’ve lost their beautiful children and loved ones.
We’ve been thinking about dear friends who lost their 15 month old son in a drowning accident a number of years ago. After his death, their young daughter – in the way only a child can – asked a very compelling and thought-provoking question. She wanted to know how they would recognize her brother when they saw him again one day in Heaven. Would he look the same? Would he still be a baby? Would he be all grown up? Out of the mouths of babes. Our friends turned to their Rabbi for guidance.
He shared something very meaningful from the Jewish texts. He said we will know those we’ve loved and lost when we meet again because they will be clothed in the good deeds and acts of kindness that we do in their honor – in their memory.
Over the years, we’ve passed this concept on to many others who’ve experienced loss and they have found great comfort in it.
That is our deepest wish for the Sandy Hook families – that this message will bring them some small measure of strength, hope and healing during these very dark and difficult days.
In loving memory of all those innocent lives lost on Friday, and in honor of their families and all those impacted by this unspeakable act – each of us can perform acts of kindness and good deeds in our own communities.
We can all do something to make a meaningful difference, to reach out and help others in our own special and unique way. If we all do our small part and work together, the sum of those parts, all those acts of goodness can add up to something pretty spectacular.
By doing this, we will reaffirm in no uncertain terms that goodness will prevail, that evil will not win! Mother Teresa said, “we can do no great things, only small things with great love.”
We send you our love, our prayers, our heartfelt support and hope that this poem will touch your hearts and give you some solace and peace.
Clothed In Our Good Deeds…
Gloria Baran
Editor’s note: With the tragedies we have experienced in recent times, most recently the flood victims in Texas, we are publishing this reflection from December 2012 written in the wake of the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting.
Over these last days since the horrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, we’ve been contemplating how we could reach out and offer some small comfort to the Community and in particular, to those families in such excruciating pain who’ve lost their beautiful children and loved ones.
We’ve been thinking about dear friends who lost their 15 month old son in a drowning accident a number of years ago. After his death, their young daughter – in the way only a child can – asked a very compelling and thought-provoking question. She wanted to know how they would recognize her brother when they saw him again one day in Heaven. Would he look the same? Would he still be a baby? Would he be all grown up? Out of the mouths of babes. Our friends turned to their Rabbi for guidance.
He shared something very meaningful from the Jewish texts. He said we will know those we’ve loved and lost when we meet again because they will be clothed in the good deeds and acts of kindness that we do in their honor – in their memory.
Over the years, we’ve passed this concept on to many others who’ve experienced loss and they have found great comfort in it.
That is our deepest wish for the Sandy Hook families – that this message will bring them some small measure of strength, hope and healing during these very dark and difficult days.
In loving memory of all those innocent lives lost on Friday, and in honor of their families and all those impacted by this unspeakable act – each of us can perform acts of kindness and good deeds in our own communities.
We can all do something to make a meaningful difference, to reach out and help others in our own special and unique way. If we all do our small part and work together, the sum of those parts, all those acts of goodness can add up to something pretty spectacular.
By doing this, we will reaffirm in no uncertain terms that goodness will prevail, that evil will not win! Mother Teresa said, “we can do no great things, only small things with great love.”
We send you our love, our prayers, our heartfelt support and hope that this poem will touch your hearts and give you some solace and peace.
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