Tolerance & Suffering

Those of you who have been part of the group for awhile know that I enjoy "playing" with Hebrew words. I often find inspiration and meaning when the letters are rearranged to give me other words that relate to my chosen word. This week I decided to consider the word for patience, since that is a quality I have been struggling with of late. In Hebrew, the word is "savlanut" which is derived from "savlun" (long-suffering) and "sevel" (burden/pain). The root word is made from the letters samekh, bet and lamed. The word for patience means the ability to endure a load or burden. In addition, changing the first vowel to make the word sovlanut, reforms the word into tolerance. So, not only am I "suffering" and dealing with all that goes along with that, but it seems that I need to open my heart to the tolerance of that suffering. I need to make room for that huge uncomfortable burden! What must I do to tolerate that which is already unpleasant? Such is the beauty of the language of the Torah!

We each have our way of tolerating the load we are carrying. I journal and meditate. Sometimes I drum/rattle away the excess energy that seems to get in the way of what really is bothering me so I can get to the meat of the matter. Talking helps to unburden my heart as well. Exercise also helps. There are many ways to not only make room for the burden, but to help see it more clearly, and to understand what is being asked of us in the carrying of this burden at this time in our lives.