We have lost entire worlds.
We have lost a universe of sacred lives and loves.
The Talmud says it this way:
“Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.”
Perhaps we feel we are losing our breath and even our words to describe the horrific and enraging news.
At this moment, we know a particular set of numbers which begins to express some form of what happened – numbers of those who have died and those who are wounded. But the numbers can’t possibly express the loss. Those numbers represent neighbors, friends, siblings, children, partners, coworkers, heroes – sacred human lives with names, identities, stories, and personalities. Each one, particular. Each one, an entire world.
And in the wake of this news, more souls – whole worlds full – are wounded by the trauma of it all, feeling the grief of the countless connections that cannot accurately be enumerated.
We have lost entire worlds.
We have lost a universe of sacred lives and loves.
Perhaps we feel we are losing our breath and even our words to describe the horrific and enraging news.
And. . .
It makes me wonder what kind of universe we want to live in.
It makes me wonder what world we will fight for.
[1] This image is entitled, Fast Trip From Earth (Florida) To The Moon And Back. Stock Footage Video 109318 – Shutterstock.
Smuggling Grace 