Читать книгу The Kindness Response - Rabbi Lance J. Sussman Ph.D. - Страница 3

Several years ago, my mother sent me a box of papers from my childhood. I did not open the box until this summer and was surprised to see some poetry I had written as a little boy. In High School I joined the Poetry Club and during my college years studied poetry with the late Prof. Sanford (Sandy) Pinsker at Franklin & Marshall who helped sharpen my ability both to read and write poetry. I became an occasional poet, never fully concentrating on writing poems but also not totally abandoning poetry either.

On November 3, 2020, I had emergency heart surgery. As part of the healing process, I unwittingly intensified my writing poetry in gratitude to those who saved my life and supported me in the harrowing days which followed. In the hospital, I was deeply moved by the constant kindness of the healthcare professionals and my family members who helped me back to life. I saw in them a “kindness response" to life which I always knew existed but now appreciated as the core value of what it means to be a human being.

This slim book mostly includes poems written in the wake of my brush with death at the age of 66, events of the last two years and a few pieces reflecting on previous experiences. I hope it adequately expresses my gratitude to those who took care of me in my hour of need and helps others see the need for kindness in everything we do in the hospital, on the street, and at home.

Finally, I want to thank my daughter, Chana Sussman, for overseeing this project and Sarah Demers for the original artwork on the cover.

Rabbi Lance J. Sussman Ph.D.

January 17, 2021