Wednesday Mornings

"  

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."

Buddha

 

At my second stop on my Wednesday morning bus route, I pass a small synagogue just as morning services are letting out.

There a handful of men who are heading off together. 

2 or 3 small groups of 2- 4 individuals, engaged in conversation as they walk back to their apartment buildings.

I encounter these folks every Wednesday morning,as I get to this stop just about the same time each week.

As I sat waiting for them to cross the street , I found myself thinking about them. 

While this is pure speculation on my part,by their animated gestures I could only imagine what they were speaking about. 

Were they discussing politics? 

The economy?

Religion?

Sports?

I surmised that whatever the topics might be, these gentlemen, all my age and a bit older, had a comradery .a connection and a commitment to this gathering.

It just so happens that before I started driving my bus, Wednesday's was my day for attending morning services.

My experience was quite different.

I never felt that comradery.

Services ended and we scattered.

I certainly wasn't connected to it in a spiritual way.

(Me and prayer ....just not a great fit!)

I did have a sense of commitment,not necessarily to the essence of the service but to my desire to make sure that we had 10 men on Wednesday mornings.

This encounter stayed with me the rest of my morning drive.

I wondered if these gentlemen gleaned some inner peace or strength from this.

They seemed devoted, if not devout,in their Judaism.

I wondered about myself.

If I didn't have my bus run, could I ever be that committed again?

I don't drive on Friday mornings and I certainly have made no effort to return to the daily minyan.

Puzzling ....and a bit unsettling.

Not troubling enough for me to do anything about it but just enough to leave me questioning myself if only for this moment in time.