Loved this

I have pulled together a preschool play group in our ward, mostly because now that Emily has arrived, it is much harder to take Small Paul to the park on my own. I am working on a field trip to the Skirball Cultural Center's Noah's Ark exhibit - a must see for little (and not so little) kids visiting Grandma Mathews. One of their temporary exhibits right now is called "Women hold up half of the sky" and it is all about empowering women around the world. It looks really interesting, but something that struck me were the remarks made by the President of the Skirball Center :

"During Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, hundreds of prayers are intoned. Among these ancient prayers, there is one that has always had special meaning for me. It takes place at the conclusion of the Day of Atonement. It is a prayer in which God is said to open the book of memories, and find there the fingerprints of every human being. The assumption is that in order for us to be listed in the book of memories, we must touch someone with good deeds. We are mandated to feed, clothe, heal, and counsel all who are destitute, struck down, impoverished, sick, young and old, men and women."

"There is much sorrow in this world, but there is also joy. Perhaps there is no joy greater or more glorious than having left our fingerprints by uplifting the downtrodden and the many strangers in our midst. We are commanded not to stand idle while our neighbors bleed. These are the teachings that have inspired the Skirball Cultural Center to produce the exhibition Women Hold Up Half the Sky."

"Fingerprints remain behind to stir our memories and keep us aware of the benediction to which our lives amount. It is my hope that the fingerprints we leave behind are powerhouses for good. For such power is meant to be everlasting."

—Uri D. Herscher
Founding President and CEO, Skirball Cultural Center

It may be just me, in my sick kid & husband induced level of exhaustion, but I think that is a beautiful message, and has inspired my next family home evening.