The word ‘comfort’ conjures up images of ease and quiet enjoyment. No worries. Relaxation.
Picture lounging on a recliner in perfect weather with a Pina Colada.
That may describe an ideal vacation, but it’s not the experience of everyday life. Nor does it describe genuine soul-comfort or core-tranquility.
Deep and genuine comfort comes from finding inner peace and equilibrium. True comfort sets in when we satisfy our existential void and soothe our inner psyche.
Not a job for a Pina Colada.
Authentic inner comfort comes from leading a meaningful life, not just from playing with life’s toys.
A lot of our internal unease – the “quiet desperation” that is the stuff of poetic verse - comes from the fact that we live in a world that doesn’t seem to make sense; it looks shallow, random and meaningless. But, deep inside we know better. We yearn for symmetry, justice and meaning. Watching the world's madness violates our sensibilities, because we know something’s not right.
It bothers us. And it should.
G-d wants our soul-irritants to get our attention, to provoke a response, to propel us each to act to bring sanity to our chaos.
That is why we were created. To elevate ourselves. To elevate our world. And, through that process, to find soul peace and comfort.
This past Sunday, the Jewish world observed Tisha B’av, a fast day dedicated to focus on the tragedy of our world’s fracture and distortion. This week, we a read Isaiah’s prophetic promise that G-d will ‘comfort’ us.
G-d’s not promising us Pina Coladas. G-d’s promising us an embrace; the experience of true beauty and meaning in what we do. G-d’s promising us that we’ll have the opportunity, and Divine assistance, to see the true richness of the human journey.
Focus your life, and open your heart.
When G-d promises, G-d delivers.