Yet being heartbroken is not the same as being broken. Pain is not the same as paralysis. In the face of constant terror, we can look for ways to be kinder and more connected. We can say that unlike the terrorists who deny the humanity of their victims, we embrace the human-ness of others. We can stop running so fast, look around, and notice that we are surrounded by sad and scared people like ourselves. People who also read the news, and are also experiencing the pain and hopelessness that we are. Once we notice the people around us, we can begin to take action.
Just do anything your heart tells you to do to be nicer, kinder, more loving, and more reliable to those who are counting on you. Make space in your heart to let others count on you even if you are not the one strictly responsible for their wellbeing. Stop avoiding people’s eyes and make eye-contact. Smile. Make space for your neighbor to get by you on the side-walk without dropping their packages. Maybe give them a hand. Take care not to poke someone in the eye when you walk by with your umbrella. Give way when you’re driving even if you don’t need to if it will make the road a little safer.
At the very least, be kinder and more loving to those closest to you, because they are the people most hurt by your oblivious or insensitive behaviors. Do whatever you can to make your spouse happier and more content within your marriage. Consider it an act of holiness. Consider it an act of anti-terrorism.
Terrorists would have us believe that their victims are less human and less entitled to life than they are. As anti-terrorists, we embrace the lives of others. We embrace the simple and small acts of kindness that create connection where connection didn’t exist before. Terrorism feels random and unexpected. Make your acts of kindness just as random and just as unexpected.
Judaism teaches that these small acts of loving kindness are one of the three spiritual forces that reinforce the foundations of the world. They are a way of reminding G-d that we are here, and we want to create a better world. The entire Jewish people began as a small family that cultivated kindness as a value and a way of life. Abraham welcomed strangers into his home. Rifka gave water to people and animals who were thirsty.
The founders of the Jewish people were the first people to notice sameness where others only saw difference. The founders of the Jewish people were anti-terrorists.
