In the field of addictions there is this great debate. Can a person
turn their lives around before THE rock bottom fall? Some people, don’t
change even after the GREAT fall, until unfortunately it’s all over.
Jail, or much worse…….
The thing hopefully gained by the rock bottom fall, is with any luck (G-ds blessing), the realization of the circumstances one is in, which “hopefully” again, leads to the committed resolve and resolution to take control and change their life around.
“Nothing stands in the way of desire/will”. Will, has the energy and strength to steer and control everything in one’s life, but the will must be genuine and total. So if someone is lucky enough and “wills” before the rock bottom fall, they avoid a nasty ride.
The best thing of course is not to get into the bad habit to begin with. That is why we stress the importance of a good upbringing and education, so that the child is shielded and protected from the negative influences and they are set on a course of good routines and habits that will bring happy and accomplished results.
The problem with many who pursue unhealthy and unwholesome practices is that they are not only unaware of its destructive results, many actually believe they are higher and stronger than the force of the negative influence and can manage both the bad and the good together, like one happy mélange of a chocolate vanilla ice-cream cone.
The problem with this example is that both chocolate and vanilla aren’t as harmful as chocolate ice cream and a very toxic tasty cream mixed together. In this combination, the negative is sure to leave its mark in the person ingesting this substance.
Try talking to some seriously overweight person about the harms of eating so much. Or talking to someone on a spending binge, where this will lead them. “Don’t worry I have it all under control.” Or other justifications for habits that are beyond dispute harmful.
Life is real, and the choices we make every day bring serious and very real consequences, good and/or the opposite.
Some people say, “I live for today.”
How about the statement of our sages, “a wise person considers the future”, the ramifications of their choices today, on the tomorrow? Well I don’t care to be a wise guy. Or, I am smarter than all that! Or worse yet, “I don’t believe in any of that!!”. The Ostrich syndrome.
In the same way some people don’t think or consider the consequences of their choices on the future, some people THINK, they are happy now and the suffering they will inevitably receive, when there, they think, is just part of everything, part of the package we call life.
Our Torah, its’ rules and its wisdom, is the ONLY explanation for the super natural existence of the Jewish people. Many, have not followed its practices, and eventually disappear from the scenery. They are absorbed in the greater numbers of the world.
If not for our Torah, our unique practices and our covenant with G-d, we are like everyone else, and should, and would, fall in to the “world” statistics, but we don’t.
Whether it’s the inordinate amount of noble prize winners, or the mere survival of our people, whether it’s the irrational anti-Semitism or the practices that have stood the test of times and afforded the happiest and most fulfilled of lifestyles.
And yet, some people just don’t want to be bothered. They would rather live in the actual or relative superficial shallow consumerism way of living, that is undoubtedly one of the strong roots for divorce rates going through the roof and the lowest SAT scores in schools ever, than to consider the thousands of years of wisdom.
It has been said, the only people who not growing up orthodox, become in their later on years, practicing their faith, are the ones who have “problems” in life. They were not happy about something.
Who doesn’t have “problems”. Who doesn’t have existential questions, like, who am I? what is the purpose? Where does this all lead to?
These people either hit rock bottom or to their CREDIT, realized the emptiness of their lifestyles. These people, decided to turn away from the meaningless lifestyle of more golf, another party, a bigger house and car, and another sitcom to pursue a greater interest in their own identity and the people they are very much a part of.
It’s all about having the good fortune to realize and see where one stands, and appreciate where we must and where we can still reach and experience, in this lifetime.
The thing hopefully gained by the rock bottom fall, is with any luck (G-ds blessing), the realization of the circumstances one is in, which “hopefully” again, leads to the committed resolve and resolution to take control and change their life around.
“Nothing stands in the way of desire/will”. Will, has the energy and strength to steer and control everything in one’s life, but the will must be genuine and total. So if someone is lucky enough and “wills” before the rock bottom fall, they avoid a nasty ride.
The best thing of course is not to get into the bad habit to begin with. That is why we stress the importance of a good upbringing and education, so that the child is shielded and protected from the negative influences and they are set on a course of good routines and habits that will bring happy and accomplished results.
The problem with many who pursue unhealthy and unwholesome practices is that they are not only unaware of its destructive results, many actually believe they are higher and stronger than the force of the negative influence and can manage both the bad and the good together, like one happy mélange of a chocolate vanilla ice-cream cone.
The problem with this example is that both chocolate and vanilla aren’t as harmful as chocolate ice cream and a very toxic tasty cream mixed together. In this combination, the negative is sure to leave its mark in the person ingesting this substance.
Try talking to some seriously overweight person about the harms of eating so much. Or talking to someone on a spending binge, where this will lead them. “Don’t worry I have it all under control.” Or other justifications for habits that are beyond dispute harmful.
Life is real, and the choices we make every day bring serious and very real consequences, good and/or the opposite.
Some people say, “I live for today.”
How about the statement of our sages, “a wise person considers the future”, the ramifications of their choices today, on the tomorrow? Well I don’t care to be a wise guy. Or, I am smarter than all that! Or worse yet, “I don’t believe in any of that!!”. The Ostrich syndrome.
In the same way some people don’t think or consider the consequences of their choices on the future, some people THINK, they are happy now and the suffering they will inevitably receive, when there, they think, is just part of everything, part of the package we call life.
Our Torah, its’ rules and its wisdom, is the ONLY explanation for the super natural existence of the Jewish people. Many, have not followed its practices, and eventually disappear from the scenery. They are absorbed in the greater numbers of the world.
If not for our Torah, our unique practices and our covenant with G-d, we are like everyone else, and should, and would, fall in to the “world” statistics, but we don’t.
Whether it’s the inordinate amount of noble prize winners, or the mere survival of our people, whether it’s the irrational anti-Semitism or the practices that have stood the test of times and afforded the happiest and most fulfilled of lifestyles.
And yet, some people just don’t want to be bothered. They would rather live in the actual or relative superficial shallow consumerism way of living, that is undoubtedly one of the strong roots for divorce rates going through the roof and the lowest SAT scores in schools ever, than to consider the thousands of years of wisdom.
It has been said, the only people who not growing up orthodox, become in their later on years, practicing their faith, are the ones who have “problems” in life. They were not happy about something.
Who doesn’t have “problems”. Who doesn’t have existential questions, like, who am I? what is the purpose? Where does this all lead to?
These people either hit rock bottom or to their CREDIT, realized the emptiness of their lifestyles. These people, decided to turn away from the meaningless lifestyle of more golf, another party, a bigger house and car, and another sitcom to pursue a greater interest in their own identity and the people they are very much a part of.
It’s all about having the good fortune to realize and see where one stands, and appreciate where we must and where we can still reach and experience, in this lifetime.
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