Please don’t hang the DJ…..A lesson in appreciation

The Smiths have a great song, Panic. A wonderful song with a very interesting background, linked to the Chernobyl disaster.

But that's an aside

And I appreciate the Smiths for inspiring this post's title

As per usual, I was standing outside shul/synagogue on Rosh Hashanah/New Years. I was chatting to some mates. A pregnant, young lady walked by and the guys wished her well, saying things like: “You’re preggies, that is wonderful. That is amazing”


And true, it is amazing, and wonderful….for her.

I would hate pregnancy. I would hate having a parasite living off me. Growing inside me. Squashing almost every organ. Making me feel ill, uncomfortable, queasy.

Sleepless nights

Peanut butter and pickles

Oy vey

Anyways, I thought about it. And realized that I would never want to be pregnant. Yet, thank God, I have my 2 amazing children

I also realized that there are people out there, that we should appreciate, yet we don’t. In fact, we usually treat people like s..t, or with pity, or shame, when in fact, they deserve our respect

And I then tried to apply that thinking to the smelly, dirty beggar at my car window. I usually try not to make “I” contact with the ‘subhuman’. Or I try and wave him off, trying to get rid of him as soon as possible. Or, I give him money, out of pity. Or out of shame.

And we should give them money/food/clothes. They need money /food/clothes.

But they don’t need us to treat them like animals. They don’t need our pity.

The need our respect

These people LIVE our worst nightmares. And seeing what their lives are like, partly drives us to have jobs, homes, security. These beggars help us (at least sub-consciously) realize that poverty is not a life we want for ourselves or for our families. Their existence, makes our ambition possible.

We should be respecting these people

I realize too that Terri went through something I would absolutely hate, in order to have our 2 amazing children.

And I appreciate the fact that she went through 2 pregnancies….….when I would refuse even one

And she has my absolute, eternal, respect and appreciation for that

So, here is a shout-out to Terri, and all moms out there

And, here is a shout-out to Terri and Alan

They are getting married on Thursday. And I got to see/photograph the beautiful dress

Terri and Alan: Enjoy the DJ. Enjoy the party

And, in the words of those great sages, the Black Eyed Peas….

Mazeltov. Lechaim