Day 6: Last words

Before you take your last breath in life, what words of wisdom would you want to impart to the next generation.


It is well that you said next generation and not children, as there are no children here. And my sister and her husband have brought up two excellent children who are both well grounded and adventuresome. 


What have I learned, what would I redo?  That is almost what last words almost always are.  David, King of Israel had two personas: one that advised his son to walk in God’s ways and another persona that advised Solomon “to take care of” certain people because David was not able to politically do so during his own life.  I don’t have enemies like David.

I would say search for what makes you whole and take hold of it as soon as you can.   I came to Judaism late because family did not approve.  I wish that I had converted earlier.  I have written since grade school, but never considered sending anything out until once in college.  One rejection sent me hiding back into my cupboard.

Travel.  Nothing makes an American as aware how privileged they really are.  And when you travel, don’t stay in the money hotels, stay as close to the people as you can.  Read the local paper, if you can.  If nothing else, this might keep you safe.  Know what is going on from your hosts’ point of view.  There are times to keep your mouth shut and listen.  In fact, that’s a good idea when you travel in the U.S.  I’ve cringed at many a tourist when traveling to places as “exotic” as Arizona.

Read.  Read both books and magazines.  Read texts more conservative than you are and more liberal than you are.  Until they find a way to insert one person’s consciousness into another’s, that is the best way to learn what others believe when you can’t talk to them yourself.  Movies can give you the spirit behind a belief.  A good book can tell you how the believer makes it through a day when the spirit fails.

Change.  Challenge yourself.  Learn something new every few years—even if you are no good at it.  Take piano lessons.  Take dancing lessons.  Go back to school.  Learn to hang-glide.  Don’t get stuck in a rut.  If you’re bored, whose fault is it?  If you don’t want the angel of death to find you, become someone new (smile).  Why make his job easy?

Don’t be afraid of aging.  If there is one thing that I love about the Black community that I grew up in, it is that we love our elders—because they are elders.  We love their stories when they aren’t lectures.  After your years of involving yourself completely in life, you will have real stories to tell not lectures. 


see links to others at http://hochmaumusar.blogspot.com/

Day 7: What did this mean?

Just as an aside, I finally had a chance to see the production of “Waiting for Godot” that a New York production company brought to New Orleans.  Wonderful.  Even better was being “adopted” by four women from the devastated neighborhood that the production was held in.  I saw one of my new “aunts” dancing behind the brass band that led us to our seats.  This was immediately after she told me that she had water up to the ceiling in her home.  She is still living in Baton Rouge and commuting to her neighborhood as her home is rebuilt.   You go girl!  I want to grow up like you!



Day 7:
After blogging about positive things for a week, what affect has it had on you and your life? What blogs that took part did you find the most inspiring? What do you plan to do to inspire the world going forward?

I won’t point to one blog in particular.  I was amazed and happy to see how involved everyone was.  And at such a young age.  Bravo!  

Plans:  I completed a novel last year that needs revising.  I find myself dragging in from work and saying that I am too tired to work on it.  However, I did sit down during this week and work on this blog, writing and rewriting until 1 am at times.  When I knew that I had to get up for work in 4 more hours.  If I can do that, I can revise that novel.  Thanks for that.  

I received an invitation to participate in renewing New Orleans’s Jewish community.  Instead of ignoring the invitation, I responded yes.  That’s as much of the “world” as I can handle right now.  I’ve leave the rest to you-all.



Read the originator's blog at  http://hochmaumusar.blogspot.com/