Happiness for Prostate Cancer Survivors and Everyone Else
Posted May 12 2009 6:15pm
As some of our readers may know, long before I had prostate cancer I spent most of my 30 years as a congregational rabbi on Boston's North Shore until I retired in 2006. During that time I made sure not only to serve my own "flock", but to be an active community leader, involving myself in Jewish and general concerns. This included serving as chairman of an annual clergy AIDS walk and engaging in other interfaith endeavors.
Salem, Massachusetts, aka "Witch City, USA", was just 20 minutes from my house at that time. It's a colorful tourist spot because that's where the self-proclaimed High Priestess of witchcraft, Laurie Cabot, lives year around, and where she leads her followers in celebrating Halloween as the witches' New Year's Eve.
I was absolutely fascinated a few years ago when she proclaimed that as a pagan religious leader she was eligible to become a member of the local clergy council. In the name of diversity, local Jewish and Christian clergy were compelled to agree!
Nearly 400 years ago Salem became famous for its witch burnings there or nearby, where differences were not tolerated. It's also the town where the noted American novelist, Nathaniel Hawthorne, lived and wrote books like The Scarlet Letter.
Mr. Hawthorne's facility with words resulted in many quotable quotes. His thoughts still have relevance today for virtually everyone in these turbulent times, whether they've experienced prostate cancer or not.
In fact, one of his comments is a reflection on most Americans' passionate pursuit of happiness: "Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you."
What Hawthorne seemed to say is that sometimes you should not actively pursue happiness. Instead, for better results, slow down and relax. To paraphrase him in my own words:
If you lighten up and do what you can to reduce your level of stress, happiness might actually come your way, when you least expect it.
If you or someone you know has/had prostate cancer, when did your happiest moments occur: when you pursued them or when you least expected? Could you share some real "for instances" with the rest of us?
As some of our readers may know, long before I had prostate cancer I spent most of my 30 years as a congregational rabbi on Boston's North Shore until I retired in 2006. During that time I made sure not only to serve my own "flock", but to be an active community leader, involving myself in Jewish and general concerns. This included serving as chairman of an annual clergy AIDS walk and engaging in other interfaith endeavors.
Salem, Massachusetts, aka "Witch City, USA", was just 20 minutes from my house at that time. It's a colorful tourist spot because that's where the self-proclaimed High Priestess of witchcraft, Laurie Cabot, lives year around, and where she leads her followers in celebrating Halloween as the witches' New Year's Eve. I was absolutely fascinated a few years ago when she proclaimed that as a pagan religious leader she was eligible to become a member of the local clergy council. In the name of diversity, local Jewish and Christian clergy were compelled to agree!
Nearly 400 years ago Salem became famous for its witch burnings there or nearby, where differences were not tolerated. It's also the town where the noted American novelist, Nathaniel Hawthorne, lived and wrote books like The Scarlet Letter.
Mr. Hawthorne's facility with words resulted in many quotable quotes. His thoughts still have relevance today for virtually everyone in these turbulent times, whether they've experienced prostate cancer or not. In fact, one of his comments is a reflection on most Americans' passionate pursuit of happiness: "Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you."
What Hawthorne seemed to say is that sometimes you should not actively pursue happiness. Instead, for better results, slow down and relax. To paraphrase him in my own words: If you lighten up and do what you can to reduce your level of stress, happiness might actually come your way, when you least expect it.
If you or someone you know has/had prostate cancer, when did your happiest moments occur: when you pursued them or when you least expected? Could you share some real "for instances" with the rest of us?