Wow. My "last" aunt died this week. There is no one left from her generation. I really love the notion of picking a middah I can practice in her memory, but I am hard-pressed to find just one. She emulated chesed, emunah, and anavah in equal measure. What stands out for me is that I had to evacuate from Three Mile Island with my 3 week old newborn, and my aunt took us in with a few hours' notice. She treated me like beloved and honored family and as a new mother who was far away from my own mother, I was so grateful to have someone like her helping me adjust to my new role as a mother. I ended up staying with her for a month and it was the most beautiful gift anyone could have given me. The idea of "paying it forward" comes to mind but I was reminded that a couple of years ago, the daughter of an old friend needed a place to stay to escape from the abusive father of her child. Within hours, we took her in and she and her baby stayed with us for a month. I hadn't connected those two events until I read your post. Thank you.
I love this -- what a good practice. My mother comes to mind with ineffable good qualities I might lump together as loving generous patience. (How it comes to me that no middah stands as a word alone but more like watercolors that bleed into one another.)
My late husband comes to mind. He radiated a soulfulness and loving kindness which just exuded naturally. I find myself quote little gems from time to time. I would say wisdom and kindness, Chochmah and Chesed. If I were to pick one it would be Chochmah
This was beautiful to read, thank you. May Rav Perr’s neshama have an Aliyah.
Amen!
Wow. My "last" aunt died this week. There is no one left from her generation. I really love the notion of picking a middah I can practice in her memory, but I am hard-pressed to find just one. She emulated chesed, emunah, and anavah in equal measure. What stands out for me is that I had to evacuate from Three Mile Island with my 3 week old newborn, and my aunt took us in with a few hours' notice. She treated me like beloved and honored family and as a new mother who was far away from my own mother, I was so grateful to have someone like her helping me adjust to my new role as a mother. I ended up staying with her for a month and it was the most beautiful gift anyone could have given me. The idea of "paying it forward" comes to mind but I was reminded that a couple of years ago, the daughter of an old friend needed a place to stay to escape from the abusive father of her child. Within hours, we took her in and she and her baby stayed with us for a month. I hadn't connected those two events until I read your post. Thank you.
I love this -- what a good practice. My mother comes to mind with ineffable good qualities I might lump together as loving generous patience. (How it comes to me that no middah stands as a word alone but more like watercolors that bleed into one another.)
My late husband comes to mind. He radiated a soulfulness and loving kindness which just exuded naturally. I find myself quote little gems from time to time. I would say wisdom and kindness, Chochmah and Chesed. If I were to pick one it would be Chochmah