An open letter to the community who wants to know how they can prevent tragedy. In response to the article by Tzvi Gluck:
It could have been me.
Fighting for life
Each day anew
Years of being alone
Of people like you.
Teachers’ whose words
Stabbed me in the heart
Sitting right near you
Yet being apart.
Abused at night
But when you saw me I would smile
I had to move on
I was only a child.
It could have been me
That gave up the fight
When the last flicker went out
And it turned black as night.
I would take from the strength
That I had inborn
And fight the long battle
Try to weather the storm.
For years I would struggle
To put on the show
With no one to turn to
Nowhere to go
And when you would see me
You would walk past
Be jealous of my success
Or judge what I lack.
When you see me in the store
You cut me off in line
and to just turn around and smile
You just don’t have time
And when I was in class
And you called me out
You didn’t know me
Or what my life was about.
It could have been me
That gave up the fight
When the last flicker went out
And it turned black as night.
And when I’m walking in town
You are too busy to stop
For ten seconds to help
As my packages drop
And when I was waiting to park
You cut me off
So it seems like no one cares
Who is on the same turf.
It could have been me
That gave up the fight
When the last flicker went out
And it turned black as night.
I am trying so hard
But I’m hanging by a thread
All day I smile
At night I cry in bed.
And although the abuse
Was a few years ago
The pain inside
Is about being alone
I already feel different
Though I may look the same
I try to move on
I live with terrible pain.
Yes I go for help
But “help” can’t provide
A community
Or people who actually care inside.
Going for help
Doesn’t spread awareness to you.
That is your responsibility
If you want to save the lives of Jews.
Isn’t Pikachu Nefesh
First in line
Think of this
Next time you don’t have time.
Is it too hard to ask you
To see past the eye
to look what may be
Really inside?
I tried for many years
But you all make me feel alone
When I opened up to you
What have you shown?
Not much
The people are still pretty unaware
Of what goes on
And what is out there.
And then my strength waned
And the flame inside died
I had no more to fight
Nothing left inside.
It could have been me
That gave up the fight
When the last flicker went out
And it turned black as night.
It could have been me
Yesterday or today
When the skies started to pour
And life felt like shades of grey
It could have been me
Who has no hope inside
And just sat by that ocean
Alone and just cried
It could have been me.
SO you are asking
What it is that you can do
To try to help
And save one more Jew?
If you see me
Don’t brush right past
Do you have 10 seconds
That may make my life last?
A smile or kind works
Or a hello how are you
Are those too difficult
To save the life of a Jew?
And surely don’t cut me off in line
I may not have a lot of strength left that day
“If I make it” may be up to you
And by the things you do and say
It could have been me
That gave up the fight
When the last flicker went out
And it turned black as night.
You don’t want it to be me
Cause I’m your neighbor and friend
You want to know what you can do
So a life should not end?
You want to stop death?
You said you want to save Jews?
Be kind to one another
Is that asking too much of you?
It could have been me
There’s a lot you can do
Everyone is responsible
Including you.
I look just like you
I hide my secret well
SO when you see me
You may not be able to tell.
SO each person you see
Just imagine it was me
The whole world will be happier
I guarantee.
You may be the only one
Who makes someone feel not alone
That may save their life
With the kindness you have shown.
Would not that be something
You want to do
It is ten seconds of your time
We’re asking of you.
And then it won’t be me
OR the others who are in pain
You will turn dark into light
And ignite the last flicker again.
(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to mailto:[email protected])
Wow couldn’t have written better your 1000% percent on target may we all take some Musser from this person. I FEEL your pain.
Powerful poem. Someone is in a lot of pain and articulated it very nicely. Very sad. And, yes, we can all be nicer to each other. I just don’t get the cut in line part. I never see that. And if you do, why would you let ? You can just say, ahem, excuse me, there’s a line. I’m Before you. May H-shem give you the strength to go on.
Hi jog a ton . Firstly I have seen people walk faster then the person ahead of them ( done In an assuming way ) in order to proceed on line ( so they get there “first” without it looking like a cut )I think the authors point may be exactly that . People do things that are not outright wrong but just insensitive . Second It seems the author was just giving vauge examples It may be the person writing the poem was being sensitive to all the people who acually caused them pain by not giving spicific examples . Lastly I think a point is that there is so much pain that there is not a lot of room left to deal w other things on a day by day basis . May we all be kind to one another and grow together !!
I could have written this too. I was abused for many years and am living with the effects till today. I went to therapy for a while but the therapist wasn’t good for me and I had to give it up because I simply couldn’t afford the good ones. There are so many chessed organizations, where’s the one that supports, financially and emotionally, the ones who were abused and molested by people in our community? I need therapy but can’t get it simply because it isn’t affordable. Is that not sad?
Words from the heart, enter the heart – if you let them. Substitute “lane” for “line”…
In Abraham Ibn Ezra’s “Sefer Yesod Mora, Ve-Sod Ha-Torah” (commonly known as “Secret of the Torah”), he states that perhaps one in one-thousand of us truly understand how to behave properly regarding everyday social situations.That was over eight-hundred years ago. Have we progressed? The Ga’on of Vilna was allegedly quoted in “Kol HaTor”, (“Voice of the Turtledove”), that the number is more like one in ten-thousand. That was just over three-hundred years ago. Is the trend continuing downward? This article would seem to indicate so. When did it begin?
R. Eliezer says, “after the Mikdash was destroyed, Chachamim started to descend to be like teachers of children. Teachers of children became like heads of the Beis ha’Keneses; heads of the Beis ha’Keneses became like commoners; and commoners keep descending”.
When will it end? Perhaps the article has the clues…..
It starts at home!! Start treating people like you would want to be treated. Saying please and Thank You is so lacking in today. Holding the door for someone, especially when they are pushing a stroller or carrying packages. Offering to help a lady or older person put the groceries in their cars. When your children and others see you doing this they will start doing the same thing. We need to treat all people like human beings. Lets all start making more Kiddush H-shems instead of Chillul H-shems.
Ouch. This poem is powerful in its sadness. And it seems like theeres alot of this going around. @Anon – There is an org to help you, more than one, in fact. There is Amudim, for abuse victims. And there is the Regesh Network. You can also call Relief, they can refer you a specialist & they can tell you who gives financial help. Theres alos R’ Chaim Epstien’s zt”l’s Tzedaka that gives money just for therapy, I dont know the name of it, tho.
Anon I feel terrible for you and would love to help u pay for therapy how can I contact you how do we do this privatly
What a powerful peice. I don’t know you my friend but I too have been there. We don’t know the whys and we may never know but it is important not to use our suffering as a crutch. (Although I will never ever blame someone who does because I did for over a decade). understand Brother that the focus is not on the yesterday’s or tomorrows but on today, right now… Some of the pain will always remain as you had a part of you that was stolen. But if you stay strong and you continue to place one foot in front of the other you will live to smile again, I promise you.
This is such a powerful poem. Hopefully it will make us all stop and think a minute and be more careful with our interactions. THis person may be someone we know! And even if it isn’t, everyone is carrying some kind of burden. Let’s try to lighten everyone’s load. We can even be nice to those who aren’t suffering!
I hope all who have to carry this terrible burden of abuse and other burdens can find help to overcome the terrible suffering.