Monday, February 13, 2012

Dedication

B"H,

To Heal Regrets

Shopping in the winter months is easy when the weather is challenging and most people have decided to stay home. 

I wished my sales-lady a healthy, blessed New Year.  Betsy replied that it was already dreadful. 

"No, no, no!  You're healthy, you have a job, it couldn't possibly be awful just weeks into January.  Every day is a beautiful gift!"  I told her that  I was a cancer patient-survivor. 

And she told me that her best friend  had called her cell phone during the after Christmas rush when everything was on sale.  She was too busy working to take a personal call.  She simply looked to see who called and it made her smile to see her friend's name, Lana.  Things were crazy busy at work.  She was distracted by everything so much so, that she forgot about the call. 


She never returned Lana's call.  That Sunday morning over coffee, while reading the newspaper she saw her best friend's obituary.  In that moment, Betsy died while her body and soul remained embraced in this world.  Grief-stricken and guilt-ridden she found herself paralyzed.  No feeling, just knowing she could never make it up to her beloved Lana. 

What can you say when such a story gushes out from a woman's tears? 

Oh my L-rd!  no one can live like this!  Betsy was prepared to carry this burden of guilt and regret for the rest of her life.  Her world offered no means of expiation.  And yet the rites and rituals exist.

...May it be Your will, oh L-rd, my G-d, that whatever good I may do today be dedicated to the elevation of the soul of Betsy's best and dearest friend, Lana...

To dedicate our good deeds to a greater purpose improves the actions and places them on an ever more divinely inspired path. 

And Betsy dedicates the rest of her life in mindfulness to Lana, of blessed memory. 

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