Can We Dance?

Answer

There is a powerful chassidic proverb:

“Nothing is as complete as a broken heart.”

A heart that has been broken can experience love at its fullest. And if you know how to cry then you know how to dance.

Grief expands our capacity to feel. When we experience pain, we stretch our hearts and open new emotional pathways. After hurting, we can feel joy deeper.

Just as the earth needs to be ploughed before it can sprout forth a new seedling, so our heart is softened by sorrow and brokenness, allowing the light of happiness to sprout.

But this takes work. We need consciously choose what to do with the void in our heart that pain leaves. Either we fall into its darkness, or we invite a new light to fill the void. It’s up to us. If we plant a seed of faith and hope in the ploughed soil of our broken heart, we can dance.

The past year, our hearts have been stretched. We have felt the pain, and we have felt the joy. The pain of so many souls lost, and the joy of being a part of this incredible Jewish family. We have cried in sadness, seeing the beautiful faces of those whose lives were cut short. And we have cried with joy seeing those who have been set free, who have recovered from injury, and who have survived to embrace life again.

We owe it to all of those dear souls to live on with hope and joy. We will cry when we recite memorial prayers for those who were lost. And then we will dance for them.

Our world is built on darkness becoming light. This is how G-d described the very first day of creation: “And it was evening, and it was morning, one day.” This is the mystery of life. The darkness brings the light. Only then is the day complete. As complete as a broken heart dancing away the darkness.