In this week's Torah portion, Balak, is named for the Moabite King who
engaged the Midianite priest Balaam to curse the Israelites. Instead, Balaam at
the insistence of God blesses the Israelites.
Too often we expect curses and instead receive blessings. We don’t
always recognize these blessings. I suppose it's human nature to focus on the
negative. We see this in newscasts, our print media, and especially online.
There are also times when we expect blessings and actually receive them.
Last weekend I was expecting both blessings and curses and ended up
finding just blessings. I went back to Cleveland for my NFTY regional youth
group reunion. A few weeks before, I also received a notice that some of my
high school classmates would be gathering for dinner and drinks that Sunday
afternoon. To top it all off, on Friday I had lunch with one of the families
that helped raise me and they told me about a 90th birthday party for someone
from the congregation where I grew up. So, I ended up having three reunions. One
for NFTY, one for my high school, and one for my congregation.
I expected blessings at my NFTY reunion and at the birthday party. Those
blessings far exceeded my expectations. I was able to both reconnect with close
friends and enhance friendships that had previously just been acquaintances.
Together we shared old memories and created new ones. We celebrated those with
us as well as those who were not. We mourned those who died too young. We
laughed about our silly misunderstandings. We understood, through more mature
eyes, people we always saw as different.
At my high school get-together, I expected nothing but curses. I
left high school 44 years ago with an oath to never return. The few close
friends I kept in touch with over the years and I swore we would never attend a
class reunion. We saw ourselves as the outsiders. We saw ourselves as those who
were ignored by those who were “cool”. As I looked at the list of my classmates
who would be at the event, there were names I did not recognize. But there are
also names that I did recognize. They were people who never spoke to me when we
were in class together or if they did it was a taunt or at best a passing
hello.
When I arrived at the event I was met by four of my male classmates
who when I introduced myself either didn't remember me or their grunts showed
they did. But once I entered the room I was greeted with some enthusiastic
hello's and even a hug or two. People who I remember never acknowledging my
existence hugged me. Either my memory or theirs was flawed. I walked in
expecting the curses my memory held from my high school years, but instead,
received the blessing of welcome and warmth. While I cannot make it back for my
45th reunion I am considering trying to make it to the 50th. The blessing of
warmth and welcome challenged my painful memories. But even if my memories are
accurate and theirs are not, I and/or they have a new perspective on each other
and ourselves.
Friendships renewed and expanded,
understanding brought by age. What greater blessings could there be?
