MY NAME IS IN THE WAILING WALL

A Story for Yom Kippur-The Day of Atonement

Today, October 1, marks the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is the day that Jehovah set aside for his people to stop their wilderness wandering for a few days and reflect on their transgressions, upsets and separateness from each other, and He Himself.

Atonement; At-One-Ness with each other and God was its original purpose.

How? By Forgiving and being Forgiven.

Apparently, God needed His people to be unified together in order to do great things in His name.

Sounds like something we could all use right about now

But this story is for this year and this time. Here it is.

She sat in one of my chairs waiting for a cleaning, but one glance and I knew there was much more than dental hygiene on her mind.

So, I asked not about her teeth, but instead about her, and what was going on in her life of 75 years.

Instantly, there were tears and sobs as she told me that her doctors had just given her two months to live. Her cancer had spread and was inoperable.

And there was one last thing she desperately wanted to do. Go to pray at the Wailing Wall.

One problem apparently-her husband of 55 years.

And then, she poured out a full measure of bitterness and vitriol.

He was not supporting her in this. He was Catholic and he and his friends and family did not understand or appreciate her or her needs.

She went on at some length, drinking from this cup of toxic brew.

I was a bit shocked. Most people that I had seen in this mortal condition had reconciled any differences with those close to them and God and were at peace.

Clearly, she had not reached that point. Something was blocking her journey.

Not knowing quite what to do, I excused myself and went to my private office and came back with a little booklet and handed it to her with one three-page chapter peeled open.

“Read this and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

→ ** To see what changed her life in 4 minutes, CLICK HERE

When I returned, I was shocked again but in an entirely different way.

She was looking out the window, her face calm and radiant. And then she began to speak words of love and gratitude for her husband and his deep faith in his religion (and tolerance and appreciation for her’s) that showed itself in a life-long humble dedication to helping her and others. She spoke of his fellow church members who had been visiting and watching over her. And as she did, the tears of appreciation, gratitude and love for what others had been doing for her began to run down her cheeks.

She was at peace.

“Maybe I can live long enough to go after all”, she murmured.

She went on to say that she had given up on the idea of traveling and had resigned herself to the steady decline her doctors had just predicted for her.

But now she thought, “Maybe I can go.”

I spoke-up, “you’re going to the Wailing Wall?’

“Yes, she replied.”

“Could you put my name in the Wailing Wall?”

She brightened up. “Yes! I would love to!”

I said this for two reasons:

1. I knew from years of experience with this type of conversation that giving a person a goal or purpose will absolutely lengthen a person’s life. * And,

   
   

2. I believe there is truth to the fact that God has reached down to Man in special places and times that are portals to reach back to him. Honestly, it felt very special to think that this dear Jewish woman would take the time at the end of her life, to write a prayer and request for my blessing and this would be at the remnants of a place on earth that housed his shining presence in the Most Holy Place of the Temple. The Shekinah in the Ark of the Covenant.

[Besides, I have a lot of making up to do for being such a handful for my poor mother who spent many an hour on her knees in prayer about me!]

This was October and four months had passed when suddenly there she was in my office looking very much alive and shining.

I knew what she had come by to say,

“Dr Cutts, I put your name in the Wailing Wall!”

I felt a rush of emotion come over me and I dabbed at my eyes a bit as we hugged.

And I still do as I sit and write this story for you.

I’d like to make this a fairly tale story, but honestly, I do not know that she lived for years after that. But I do know one thing.

She was at Peace. She was At-One with God and her beloved husband (and family)

There is no better feeling than to be At-One with a spouse or daughter or son, another person-even a stranger, or for that matter a beloved pet, nature, the mountains or beach…… or our fellow man……………… or God himself.

For those of you who have followed my writing in the past two years especially, you may have noticed that I am writing stories of love, and kindness, and just recently for Mother’s Day, the subject of Help.

I believe we are here for one purpose-to Help each other.

I believe that true help brings true At-One-ness.

Every day at this office we start off with a morning meeting and we talk about Who we helped and how many hugs we gave and received.

I wonder sometimes whether you guys fully know how much you help US.

We are very, very fortunate to have the people we do as our “guests” every day.

I have very, very special and happy teammates

We feel fulfilled and At One with you.

We wish this for everyone in their work and professions.

I hope this helps you and helps you help others.

From all of us, Thank You.

ML,

Dr. Dave Cutts and Team