Health & Fitness
Fireworks in the Rear-View Mirror
In every crisis and dilemma, in the world, the country, the community, the household or the person - always less noise and more light.
Watching the brilliant Independence Day fireworks last week at Calabasas High School, quieter and flashier than last year's, brought an historical anecdote to mind.
Once during the stormy, politically strenuous days leading up to the Civil War, President Lincoln held a press conference. As soon as he appeared for the conference, the shouting began. The journalists hollered their questions and accusations and the President stood quietly, waiting for a lull in the uproar.
As soon as his chance appeared, he raised his hands and waited for silence. Then he began to tell a story.
"Gentlemen, you remind me of the poor wagon-driver, who struggled one night to drag his horse and wagon out of the mud it had slipped into, while a raucous thunderstorm raged overhead.
"Every few moments, lightening would flash and for that moment, he was able to see what he was doing. But in an instant the light was gone and thunder crashed overhead.
"After many minutes of frustrating attempts to right the wagon, the poor man, unable to see what he was doing and soaking wet and dirty, looked heavenward and cried out, "Please! A little less noise and a little more light!"
The President gazed at the reporters and said, "Gentlemen, please: a little less noise and little more light."
***
All the emotional exuberance in the world will not shed an ounce of light on an event that requires understanding. All the shouting to be had from the lungs and hoarse throats of inciteful journalists and rabble-rousing reporters and bloggers will not shed even a tiny ray of light on the issues of the day. On the contrary. Any clarity that might have existed before is trampled and destroyed under the careless and even malicious soles of those who prefer controversy and sensationalism to togetherness and mutual understanding.
Hence: less noise and more light.
***
That might be just the message Americans need to ponder as we celebrate the 237th 4th of July. In all issues, be they ancient traditions or hot-button current events - a little less noise and little more light.
In the ongoing sagas of equal rights and human dignities; of stand-your-ground laws and racial contests; of a loose-mouthed celebrity chef and the sanctimonious mob - popular and corporate - out to destroy her; of economic theories and applications - less noise and more light.
Closer to home, in Israel's ongoing sagas of women's rights and wrongs; of class warfare and challenges to mutual respect; of religious tension and finger-pointing - less noise and more light.
Indeed, in every crisis and dilemma, in the world, the country, the community, the household or the person - always less noise and more light.
Less emotional hysterics and perceived personal offenses and more careful examination and application of respectful, common sense.
When we quit glaring at each other, hissing at each other, muttering at each other and pointing at each other, we will find more light. When we quit disowning each other, quit disdaining each other, quit criticizing each other and quit hating each other, we will discover light.
When we start seeing each other, hearing each other, communicating with each other and respecting each other, we will have seen the light. When we start owning each other, taking responsibility for each other, educating each other and liking each other, we will have seen the light.
***
The Jewish community must lead the way, that is how it has always been and everyone knows it. America, founded upon the respect and gratitude for our Creator, Who endowed us each with essential worth and created us all equal, must lead the way and the world needs it and knows it. Only the self-doubting, sometimes even self-loathing souls among us resist it. In the name of false modesty and false equality, some attempt to unburden themselves of their Chosen and super-responsible status by championing the cause of sameness (not truly equality).
But if an army needs officers, and a business needs executives, and a ballclub needs a manager, and a sports league needs a commissioner, and a city needs a sheriff - a world needs leadership. If that is you, then lead you must! Joyously, humbly, strongly and confidently, you gotta lead. And you might as well, because the world is lined up behind you, yearning to be lead upward and onward.
And with more light and less noise, with more Torah and less politics, with more wisdom and less sensationalism, we can do it.
Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom!