Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. -Viktor Frankl
Like all of us, I try to get my head/heart around recent terror attacks, and all the violence in the Holy Land.
I got tired of scrolling my Facebook feed and thought about finding some inspiration to rise above all the heaviness.
I remembered how during the Gaza War, I went to the almost empty beach in Tel Aviv. Even though no one was going out and sirens were going off and rocket debris was falling from the sky.
I was sure it wasn’t my time to pass on, so I thought, “screw that.” I wasn’t going to run and hide in bomb shelters or lay cowering with my heart to the ground that day.
I was alone and left my bag on the beach. In the water, I really felt the beauty of it. I allowed myself to wake up to the preciousness of the moment.
With the deep sorrow and pain that comes from a world at war, the song “Sha-la-la-la-la-la-Let’s Live for today” came on in my head. (Actually, it became an ear worm throughout the war.)
Taking time to remind myself that life is precious and to appreciate the little moments of wonder and joy helps me through the craziness in the world.
I recently went back to reading Viktor Frankl’s best-selling book “Man’s Search for Meaning” (originally published in 1946 as “Nevertheless, Say ‘Yes’ to Life: A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp”).
It “chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate–which led him to discover the importance of finding meaning in all forms of existence, even the most brutal ones, and thus, a reason to continue living.” (from Wikipedia)
Anyway, just some food for thought. Yoga, prayer, and meditation help keep things in perspective, too!
Lots of love, Kim
