08/12/2011

Pause for Thought

With Baroness Julia Neuberger, Senior Rabbi at the West London Synagogue.

On Tuesday evening this week, we had a workshop at the synagogue for people to write their own ethical wills. This goes back into the middle ages and earlier, with, say, Isaac blessing Jacob, and Jacob blessing his sons, and giving guidance as well. By the middle ages, rabbis were telling their children, and their communities, to read more improving literature, gamble less, gossip less, and do more for the poor. To live a better, more ethically driven, life.

So what would we say to our children, or grandchildren, in a letter that’s left for them after we die? Indeed, how, as a grandparent, do you describe your life and your values to people who only knew you when they were very small or you were very old? Our tombstones don’t say much about us- they just tend to give our dates, and say we are greatly missed. Our last will and testament might say a bit more, if, say, we bequeath favourite jewellery or our vintage cars or whatever….. but that doesn’t cover the values we minded about.

So we had a go. As we went deeper, it became clear that some of us would write about experiences that had transformed us- marriage or a deep partnership for some, a mountain successfully ascended for others. As we discussed the recession, some said we’d put in something like “Life is tough. You have got to get on with it….” Just as Moses said to Joshua in the Hebrew Bible, “Be strong and of good courage!” we’d say that to the next generation. But we’d also say that, given life will be tough, enjoy what you can. Seize the day. Enjoy the bright days, the uplifting music. Life can be tough, and it may be getting tougher- but it also has great goodness and wonders. So treasure it and celebrate it, for yourselves, and the generations to come.