Monday, July 14, 2014

Tora Dojo, An Apology

I have returned from Kansas from my brother's wedding, a beautiful event for my brother and his new wife, and our joined families , and I now have the time to sit and catch up with my parents.

My father happened to mention a very old post on this blog, in which I referred to his teacher, friend and mentor, "Sifu" Sober of the Tora Dojo karate training, and an event which occurred over 25 years ago.  My comments were taken as a slap in the face to an old and dear family friend, and have been hurtful over the years.

For the sake of my father, and my own conscience, I called Professor Sober this evening;  we spoke candidly about our perceptions of the event, and of our desire to make peace, especially in light of the greater terrible threat to the Jewish Nation.  True friendships and connections always find a way to reconnect and forgive, and I am thankful to report that we have succeeded.

Perhaps the hardest part of being a grown-up is taking responsibility for our actions and being able to admit that our approaches were flawed, and then finding a new way to heal a wound. I am grateful that Professor Sober and I were able to forge this path, and I am grateful to my daughter for teaching me that as a parent and as a human being, we can embrace our imperfections and try to learn from them, if we are just a little brave.

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