PICTURES AND WORDS AND TRUTHS

  - Oh my! Oh boy! 

Don't we all love to find old family picture albums, page through, and dredge up stories from the past, understand a bit better who we are and where we originated. We learn of role models, of brave people, and recall memories of good - or sad - times. As an aside, phone picture retention is simply not the same as that pictorial hard copy album. Check that with your kids!

Yesterday we received, via phone, and now in hard copy form as well, a picture of Yitzy. Till now, we have heard his voice, seen him from the sides, or back or shoulders down. Naturally we wanted to see him, afraid why the picture was not forthcoming. To protect aged grandparents? Perhaps, but wrongfully so, for what we do not know, do not see for ourselves, is worse at times than reality. We know, logically that there was a good reason, the thoughts, good intentions but oh, my did we need a picture. And there it was! Circulated immediately through the phones of family and friends.

On the skinny side, wearing a winter jacket and a pull-on beanie hat, with his standard big grin on his face, sitting beside one of his sisters, there he was. Our hearts began to pump once again. We dared to smile and take in another breathe of hope and optimism. There he was, our Yitzy, having a good week, strong in mind, soul, and body. I cannot begin to find words adequate enough to fully convey our feelings at sight of that blessed picture. 

Yes, pictures do have a positive role to play.

Too often we forget that and pursue our own motives, never mind the truth, via pictures and videos.

It used to be that pictures were actual, permanent portrayers of truths, of reality, of things done and undone. There was a reassuring feeling about it. Today there are forces attacking the truths of pictures, videos, as it suits them, as they proffer their own false realities. Or they simply ignore the truth of pictorial reality in the name of self-serving and desperate attempts to change what actually was, or is, or can reliably be predicted.

Yesterday's shameful cherry picking of segments of video recordings of Jan. 6 belied a truth so obvious, so undeniable, yet there it is, front and center. No, those 'calm' walkers had broken in violently, and then took a breather as they walked, triumphant, past law personnel, before they exploded. Then they rampaged through the halls, shouting for blood, for lynching, spilled blood, defaced numerous places and encouraged the outside crowd in their violence, with well-planned efforts and order of invasion, to push, calling for the 'replacements' stationed nearby to take on the exhausting job of attacking police officers, of slamming them with poles and signs, stabbing with pointed flagstaffs, smacking and even killing. The pictorial truth is there, deny it, twist it, though they may. 

Camera recordings of violent arrests also have broken through lies of the blue line. However, we have gone too far, at times reinterpreting in forced words, the truths of these recordings. Accusations fly through the air, tampering, fraud, lies, accusations needing fact checking. In the interim the vitriol pollutes the air, poisoning any truths unveiled or proven. 

I wonder whether we will ever return to a time when there was less antagonism, a thick covering of which tamps down truth, the seekers and revealers of truth. Will we ever believe again what we see, what we know and understand? Do we want to? Or do too many of us enjoy wallowing in the oh so fun swamp of lies and negativity? No one pays attention to your stained clothing and soul, as they are in the same condition.

We once again share our gratitude to all of you regarding prayers and good wishes for our Yitzy. He has a long road to go ahead of him, with potholes, wrong turns, and hopefully ever increasing in numbers and distance, smooth pavement areas We are realistic, but also know that in addition to the medical side, we believe the good days, the tiny shrinking of the tumor are also results of the accumulated prayers. 

Please, keep it up - as long as it takes.

HEAL YITZY!

Yitzchak Elimelech ben Chana Sarah

May he be granted refuah shelaymah bimheyrah beyameinu. 

May he be granted a timely and complete healing.

May Hashem hear all our voices raised in prayer. 

Amen. Amen.