A Chanukah Message from Dr. Terry Segal

I thank G-d and G-d’s angels for their presence each day. On this Chanukah, which arrives on the heels of Thanksgiving, along with gratitude, I’m proposing a wish list for the eight nights. Chanukah spells out the acronym. I don’t just wish these gifts for myself, but for all of us, as they have a magical way of being given and received, when done right.

C is for Compassion. If only we could glow our heart lights when speaking our truth and listening to others.

H is for Humor. Never laughing at, but with another, in a way that bonds us together.

A is for Acceptance. Of the hard times that challenge all of us in more similar ways than not.

N is for Nourishment. Sharing not only what we have to feed the bellies, but nourishing the minds and souls as well.

U is for Understanding. We don’t have to agree to understand, simply be able to try on the shoes of another and walk a few blocks, if not miles, in them. It can alter our perceptions.

K is for Kindness. Remember the first time ever and the most recent time you gave and received kindness? Unforgettable.

A is for Adventure. A redefinition of discovery that doesn’t involve travel around the world, just wonderment in our own backyards.

H is for Harmony, which isn’t all singing the same note, but rather sounding more than one note together at the same time as a complement to the melody. When three or more notes are combined, it’s a chord. And maybe it also forms a cord that connects us heart-to-heart with one another, and then anchors us to G-d.

Maybe this year, beginning on Chanukah, we can each take at least one action and G-d can match it to manifest change in the world.

Dr. Terry Segal is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a Ph.D. in Energy Medicine.