In recent years I have become gravitated toward the word “Shalom” after learning that it means, essentially, the wholeness or all-is-wellness of the world and the way it was intended to be. Prior to that, my impression was that it was simply a Jewish greeting or parting comment of generic well-wishes or blessing.
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“Shalom (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם shalom; also spelled as sholom, sholem, sholoim, shulem) is a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility and can be used idiomatically to mean both hello and goodbye. … The word shalom is also found in many other expressions and names.” – Wikipedia
“The Hebrew word shalom is understood around the world to mean peace. … Shalom is more than just simply peace; it is a complete peace. It is a feeling of contentment, completeness, wholeness, well-being, and harmony. This beautiful word shalom is a mighty blessing on several levels!” – Source
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Today I listened to a number of podcasts on the Tokens Show while working and would like to pass on just one that I found very meaningful. It is an interview with a Palestinian-American poet.
At the beginning, Lee Camp tells of two of his favorite words he teaches in his ethics classes:
magnanimity
and
pusillanimity
He then talks a bit about large-mindedness vs. small-mindedness as he introduces the poet to be interviewed, Naomi Shihab Nye.
To whet your appetite to listen to this full podcast, I will give two quotations that were sprinkled into the discussion, and then invite you to listen to a simply beautiful true story that she ends with, called Gate A4.
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“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – St. Augustine
Also loosely referenced was a quote/idea spoken of by Henry David Thoreau that we “need to enter into our own backyards” (paraphrase) which led into the poet’s comment, “You can dig in the dirt right where you are and find more to think about than you’ve thought about before.” (from the podcast) – Naomi Shihab Nye.
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Gate A4
This is a poem-story that happens in the Alberquerque airport when an announcement is made that they needed anyone who might speak Arabic to come to Gate A4, which happened to be the gate the Palestinian-American poet was seated at (or near). She tells of going to the gait and what next transpired…
As I listened to this story, I was rapidly moved emotionally at the sheer beauty of it.
I thought of languages and cultural and communication barriers and the hard to interpret meaning of the Old Testament story of the Tower of Babel.
As I listened I also thought of Shalom, and upon the ending of this story, the interviewer also referenced similar ideas of thought with references to the biblical new heavens and earth.
Since I realize that it can be hard to set aside time to listen to a recommended podcast – there are just so many – if these ideas and thoughts interest you I simply invite you to only take five minutes and listen to this one story, which is found between minutes 39:10 and 44:00 on the podcast.
Shalom.
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