tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post6241005368015912100..comments2024-02-01T05:40:59.454-05:00Comments on Your Mama's a Rock Star: It's time you know the truth.Ann Lapinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737252085586889077noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-10146769213695861032013-10-08T21:01:08.090-04:002013-10-08T21:01:08.090-04:00Ladies and gentlemen, my knight in shining armor. ...Ladies and gentlemen, my knight in shining armor. Thanks, Howie. Now, how many newborn-care skills did I learn from you and Jill? Ann Lapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12737252085586889077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-30283802839288778722013-10-08T20:58:42.772-04:002013-10-08T20:58:42.772-04:00Hi, Anonymous. Thanks for stopping by. As my DH sa...Hi, Anonymous. Thanks for stopping by. As my DH says, it's an interesting question and we wonder from where you get the idea that hesed is about challenging oneself. I've been pondering that notion all day (as you know, if we are fbf's) and I still can't quite see how it makes any sense, really. Is the woman who has her personal chef cook a meal for the family of a newborn baby NOT doing an act of hesed for that family? Shall I overeat in an attempt to regain weight? Or, perhaps deliver burnt meals to families shuttling a loved one to and from chemotherapy?<br /><br />I'm also compelled to ask if you have ever spent any time with newborns. They're lovely. Adorable. Sometimes they smell nice. But other times, they wake frequently and erratically, urinate on your shoes and vomit in your hair. Now, I signed up for that. But I do think I'm allowed to be challenged by it, as well.<br /><br />I'm fascinated that you think "hesed" is an important concept to me. It's one of the reasons I think you must either know me or know of me. I suspect you are jealous of me for any number of reasons and that you may have even felt better about yourself after posting this comment. You may have taken "solace" in the pause you gave me today.<br /><br />But your post boils down to the following: not only did you elect to not pat me on the back or even ignore this entry. Rather, you chose to publicly question my actions and imply that my perceived contribution to society "is not the best response to a call for help."<br /><br />And you did it all hidden behind an "anonymous" veil.Ann Lapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12737252085586889077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-67698311829813213332013-10-08T20:08:38.095-04:002013-10-08T20:08:38.095-04:00Thank you, Caitlin. An honor to be recognized by t...Thank you, Caitlin. An honor to be recognized by the likes of you and Nan. :)Ann Lapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12737252085586889077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-13855610046274504562013-10-08T20:07:57.692-04:002013-10-08T20:07:57.692-04:00I say the same to you as to the above poster. Than...I say the same to you as to the above poster. Thank you so much.Ann Lapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12737252085586889077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-39330975619660208462013-10-08T20:07:07.245-04:002013-10-08T20:07:07.245-04:00Thank you so much...for reading, for commenting, a...Thank you so much...for reading, for commenting, and the much appreciated perspective.Ann Lapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12737252085586889077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-9669145450155202342013-10-08T20:05:50.080-04:002013-10-08T20:05:50.080-04:00That is exaaactly my feeling. Here's to the go...That is exaaactly my feeling. Here's to the good. :)Ann Lapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12737252085586889077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-37263324146273730012013-10-08T20:03:15.543-04:002013-10-08T20:03:15.543-04:00Come hoooome! And, thanks. :)Come hoooome! And, thanks. :)Ann Lapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12737252085586889077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-49095494689457765252013-10-08T09:31:00.863-04:002013-10-08T09:31:00.863-04:00Aanonymous ... did you even read this post after t...Aanonymous ... did you even read this post after the first couple of paragraphs? I am in awe of what Ann and her family do, and often find myself asking why I don't do more after seeing their example. Ann and her amazing family are truly a light that shines brightly in this world. The post was not even a cheap-shot, it was a comment that was completely out of context. So, she couldn't cook? Let's see, the equivalent is -- taking care of babies?! She stepped up her game vs. "giving up." Ann is a tzadek and a rockstar. I am in awe.Howard A. Goldberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16780096317221271031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-52603380805358520192013-10-08T08:16:37.197-04:002013-10-08T08:16:37.197-04:00It is wonderful to read how you marshal your own g...It is wonderful to read how you marshal your own gifts to serve people in need. But I am left with a question: Isn't hesed (the Jewish mandate usually translated as "lovingkindness") or, in less parochial terms, volunteerism, also about challenging ourselves, pushing ourselves beyond our perceived limits? If so, then saying "I am not good at it" is not the best response to a call for help. I distinctly remember people learning how to knit in order to make warm hats for soldiers and the poor. They could have said, "that I can't do," but realized that if they devote some time to learning a skill, there would be that many more hats. Even when faced with physical limitations, there are probably other ways we can help, like enlisting others who don't face these same limitations. Obviously we make choices about how to spend our volunteer time, and our skills ought to be part of the choices. Unlike a job, however, the needs of humanity don't always allow us to say "I am not qualified."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-43551422787548262162013-10-07T20:05:53.994-04:002013-10-07T20:05:53.994-04:00Beautiful story, beautifully written. Thanks for s...Beautiful story, beautifully written. Thanks for sharing your heart with us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-80044939253606429782013-10-07T18:44:02.358-04:002013-10-07T18:44:02.358-04:00Amazing. I thank you for all you do on the kids b...Amazing. I thank you for all you do on the kids behalf. As an adoptive mom, I appreciate the love he got from his foster family so much. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-82128773188005879592013-10-07T09:23:31.724-04:002013-10-07T09:23:31.724-04:00What a wonderful thing you do for these families. ...What a wonderful thing you do for these families. As an adoptive mother, I can tell you that having your child in a home where they are loved and well cared for gives the new parents a special sense of peace. What you do.... is beautiful.Foxxy Onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10965197890458229684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-64746483024653070162013-10-07T07:27:05.580-04:002013-10-07T07:27:05.580-04:00Yes, thank G-d, no one has to or can do every type...Yes, thank G-d, no one has to or can do every type of kindness, but when you put us all together as a community, we carry each other through rough times and good times!Michellenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1512784527530342559.post-1401681922808896222013-10-06T23:01:45.850-04:002013-10-06T23:01:45.850-04:0012 babies! I lost count a long time ago. I miss se...12 babies! I lost count a long time ago. I miss seeing those babies. And yes, there is always, always something we can do. Nancy Cavilloneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15084878556016753893noreply@blogger.com