A Child is a Microcosm of the World

When we say that a child is a "small world," we state a value that is profound and has significant implications.

A world is totally self-contained. There is nothing missing in it. It is the culmination of G-d's work and therefore contains the seeds of all creation for all time.

Similarly, a child is totally complete. There is nothing missing.

And just as we don't expect a desert to be filled with water or a mountain to be flat as the plain, so too we should not expect one child to have the assets of another.

Moreover, we can no longer talk about "deficits." Each child has certain characteristics that are unique to him/her. That child may need extra "water" or "sunshine" but the purpose of these supplements is to bring the seeds to fruition.

Look for the beauty in your child. Help others see it, too.

Is Religion Healthy for Women?

Karl Marx called religion the "opiate of the masses." If that's true, then this is one drug from which we can all benefit.

A recent study by researchers at Yeshiva University and Albert Einstein School of Medicine found that, among postmenopausal women, "regular attendance at religious services reduces the risk of death by approximately 20 percent."* What remarkable findings!

Even after controlling for the extent to which the women socialized with friends or had risky habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption, the results indicated that attending religious services - without specifying what religion - protected them against death.

The researchers couldn't explain the results. Meanwhile, it's a good idea to maintain your link to G-d.

*(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/130085.php)

A Holy Place

The Grand Canyon was formed by the inextricable flow of the Colorado River over millions of years.

Walking to a viewpoint is like entering a cathedral; sitting there – listening to the music of the wind and looking at its majestic walls – one senses the presence of the King.

We are so small, so temporal. Yet each one of us is a part of the River. And just as each drop contributes to the River’s flow, so too each person is essential to the progress of mankind.

We will not live to see the end of days, when everyone’s actions will culminate in the Grand Design. But know that we are part of G-d’s overall plan and revel in our significance.