Consider this : it is within your hands.

June 19, 2010 in Uncategorized

Dear Emma,

There was a famous Rabbi who lived in a small village. The Rabbi was known for having the right answers to all the questions in the world. Many people from all over the shire came to the small village in order to get the good advice of the all knowing Rabbi.

Not far from the Rabbi's house lived a young guy named Yakov. Yakov was quite a smart guy with a lot of "hutzpa" (rudeness). This guy Yakov was anxious to find a question on which the Rabbi won't have an answer. He thought and thought and then he found a solution.

I'll come to the Rabbi holding a butterfly in my hand and ask him what do I have in my fist. thought Yakov. The Rabbi will surely know the answer, but then I'll ask him if the butterfly is dead or alive. If he will say that it is alive I will smash it and if he will say that it is dead I'll open my fingers and let it fly.

On the next day Yakov went to the Rabbi and asked him: "Honorable Rabbi, can you tell me what is it that I have in my closed hand?"

The Rabbi thought for a moment and answered: "Well, I believe you are holding a butterfly."

"That's true Rabbi, but can you tell me whether it is dead or alive?" asked Yakov with a victorious smile on his face.

The Rabbi looked at him and then smiled back: "That, my son, is for you to decide. It is within your hands."

My dear Emma! It looks like it was only yesterday when I joined you and your friends on your 6^th birthday, but time simply flew and suddenly you are a high school graduate.

And now everything is really within your hands. It is for you to decide what kind of life will you have. A moment before you go out to "swallow the world", I want to wish you that you will have the wisdom to choose well, the courage to follow those choices, and the ability to love and be loved.

And whenever you get close to our side of the world, please come and visit me. I promise to get you as many bagels with Zaatar as you can eat.

Good luck my dear, and please take care!

Love, Eliav

Hod-Hasharon, Israel

And this is why I love Eliav Zakay.

I am gathering wisdom from the far corners of the earth to give my older daughter, Emma, as she graduates from high school. What would you say to her? Or to your own 17-year-old self? What thoughts would you ask her to consider? You can submit your advice (instructions here). An e-book of submissions will be available soon–and possibly a print book as well.

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.