When you’re hurt
when you’re defeated
when you’re grieving
it feels like you stand alone
Then someone reaches out
with warm words
an empathetic ear
a nourishing meal
And the pain diminishes,
kindness softening the edges
of a sometimes harsh reality
T. Cohen, Baltimore
In 1995, I was in tenth grade at Bais Yaakov of Baltimore. It was a tumultuous time for me due to an emotionally charged and complex family situation. I trudged through the year as best as I could.
A few weeks after the end of the school year, our report cards came in the mail. I was surprised to see another paper in the envelope. I opened it. It was a personal letter to me from the assistant principal, Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro.
The letter said that he’d been reviewing all the report cards and had taken notice of my strong academic performance. He acknowledged that the year had been very challenging for me due my family situation. He was impressed that despite all the challenges, I’d performed well. He gave me chizuk and a brachah that I should continue to stay strong and be successful.
I read the letter again and again. When times were hard, I read the letter. When things improved, I read it too. One letter that took a few minutes to write held me up for years. Whenever I felt sad or lost, I’d take out the letter and remind myself that I was strong and could get through hard things.
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