REFLECTIONS AFTER THE RACE
Today’s Presidential election results remind me of a story.
Rabbi Alexandria, a wise old man, lived about 1,000 years ago. He told the following story:
Two good friends, Reuvain and Shimon, lived in the village. They were childhood buddies who studied and played together. When they grew up each bought a donkey to deliver merchandise to nearby cities. Even though they were competitors they would often travel together on the road, singing and exchanging pleasantries as good friends do.
One day a disagreement began and neither could remember how it started. One thing for sure, they refused to work together and they became enemies.
Weeks and months passed and they would hardly exchange greetings. One day Reuvain’s donkey collapsed under the weight of two heavy sacks. It was impossible for Reuvain to untie the sacks. The donkey was literally suffering. It was helpless.
Reuvain suddenly saw his former friend Shimon. He thought to himself, of all the people to come by to help, I can only find my enemy.
As Shimon drew near he realized that Reuvain was having some major difficulties with his donkey. He walked by thinking what a fix Reuvain was in and that he deserved it.
Suddenly he remembered an Old Testament statement, “If you see the donkey of your enemy lying down under its burden will you refuse to help him? You shall surely help him!” (Ex: 23:5). Shimon’s face was white and his lips were tight. Without saying a word he started to untie the sacks. Both men worked together until they freed the donkey and helped it stand up. The hardest task of all was they had to talk to each other.
Reuvain said “May the Almighty reward you for your work.” Shimon said “Yes, we did a good job.” They both realized that their misunderstanding had set them apart but the needs to help one another brought them together.
The recent election results remind me of this parable. Both candidates, George Bush and John Kerry, are really good friends of our glorious country. They both grew up loving and cherishing the ideals of our founding fathers. As in the parable they traveled on the same road, each with their own responsibilities, leading the country. One a Democrat, one a Republican. But in time both ran into trouble and seemed to become enemies rarely agreeing on anything.
Now that the Presidential race is over they both realize that in order to lift the country’s spirit up to its potential and provide the much needed help for world safety they will need to talk to each other. They need to forget the past and concentrate on the future.
I know that our citizens have voted with their conscience. Now let our country’s soul radiate with the message of our founding fathers “….with liberty and justice for all.”