Letting Go of Certainty
The Israeli poet, Yehuda Amichai, writes:
The only way we can grow, and learn, is to let go of certainty. We must open ourselves to others and their opinions. We must invite the possibility that we could be mistaken.
Certitudes, and the stubbornness they foster, lead us away from change.
Our tradition believes we can turn. It believes we can always do better. We can admit mistakes. We can make amends.
This is the path laid before us on the High Holidays. It is plowed by opening ourselves to doubt. It is heralded by making room for love.
Every year we are summoned to build our lives anew. We are called to rebuild what is ruined. We are roused to repair what is broken.
It begins by letting go.
Cast stubbornness aside. Banish certainty if but for a moment.
From the place where we are rightAs we approach Yom Kippur I am leaning into the poet’s words.
flowers will never grow
in the spring.
The place where we are right
is hard and trampled
like a yard.
But doubts and loves
dig up the world
like a mole, a plow.
And a whisper will be heard in the place
where the ruined
house once stood.
The only way we can grow, and learn, is to let go of certainty. We must open ourselves to others and their opinions. We must invite the possibility that we could be mistaken.
Certitudes, and the stubbornness they foster, lead us away from change.
Our tradition believes we can turn. It believes we can always do better. We can admit mistakes. We can make amends.
This is the path laid before us on the High Holidays. It is plowed by opening ourselves to doubt. It is heralded by making room for love.
Every year we are summoned to build our lives anew. We are called to rebuild what is ruined. We are roused to repair what is broken.
It begins by letting go.
Cast stubbornness aside. Banish certainty if but for a moment.
Allow a whisper of repair to enter.
Let us open ourselves to doubt. Let us take in the blossoming of love.
Let us open ourselves to doubt. Let us take in the blossoming of love.