Thursday, January 27, 2005

Grey Hairs in My Beard

This week I noticed two grey hairs in my beard. I never associated grey hairs with someone of my age. It is an unmistakable sign that I am getting older.

The older I get the more I have learned to rely on davening to deal with problems in my life. Whether it is a problem in ruchnius or gashmius I do everything I can do to resolve it, but eventually there comes a point where further effort is futile. It is at this point that I daven for guidance and assistance. Sometimes I daven about it every day for months at a time. Eventually I am able to overcome the problem.

The older I get the more I learn that we are not in control.

--

Merciful Father, hear our voice, Hashem our G-d, pity and be compassionate to us, an accept - with compassion and favor - our prayers, for G-d Who hears prayers are You. From before Yourself, our King, turn us not away empty-handed. Be gracious with us, and answer us, and hear our prayer, for You hear prayer of each mouth of Your people Israel with compassion. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who hears prayer. - from the weekday Amidah [Nusach Sefard]

2 Comments:

At January 27, 2005 at 10:43:00 AM EST, Blogger Anshel's Wife said...

I'll be 40 this year. The age when wisdom should start to be mine. I pray this will truly happen. I'll wake up on my birthday and be completely grey, but I'll know something. I have a few grey hairs. They used to bother me (not too much since I wear a sheitel). But now I feel I have earned them.

As for the control, well, my mother spends all her time running my sisters' lives, but she couldn't keep the cancer out of her (she could have if she had gone to the doctor sooner, though, and wasn't so busy saving everyone else). I see my sister with OCD and wonder how it got so bad and how it happened at all. I see my niece with scelara derma. All the money my parents throw at doctors can't cure her.

I'm not 40 yet. I don't have any answers. Maybe at 40 I'll realize that I don't have to have the answers.

 
At January 28, 2005 at 9:03:00 AM EST, Blogger Stacey said...

I have found my first few grey hairs this year and they stick out like a sore thumb against my black hair! I am not happy.

I liked your perspective on overcoming problems and the role davening plays in achieving such. Thanks.

 

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