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Deepen connections with the people you love. Build relationships with the people you meet.
"We can go through each day—or a lifetime—as sleepwalkers while awake, tossing and turning on pillows that are as hard as appointment books, wandering a paved spiritual wilderness from bank window to house of worship to hospital bedside. But if we are fortunate enough to happen upon a vision of the Divine—in a chance chat with a semi-stranger or a lingering conversation with a good friend—we can awaken to the spirituality between people that Martin Buber called I-Thou."
—from God in Our Relationships
It is possible to infuse every moment of life with meaning—from the routine act to the once-in-a-lifetime situation—and this first-of-its-kind introduction to Martin Buber's I-Thou shows you how.
Drawing on Jewish tradition, the science of human behavior, Buber’s ideas and the Hasidic stories that he loved, Rabbi Dennis Ross illuminates a theology of relationships in easy-to-understand, accessible language. You will clearly see how to use the principles of I-Thou to create new answers to critical issues in life, such as:
- How do I react to others in times of stress?
- How do I relate to strangers?
- How can I take full advantage of the time I have to spend with my loved ones?
By unlocking the depths in Buber’s concepts for spiritual growth, Ross supplies you with the tools you need to communicate better, love more completely and find the sacred in everyday life.
A few years ago, I took care of a beautiful, elderly, blind, African American woman who was cared for by a gentle, sweet, elderly, white lady. No one could deny that this relationship was truly a spiritual one. In fact, I was so moved by their love and concern toward each other that I wrote a poem entitled "Two Gentle Ladies," which reads as follows:
Two Gentle Ladies
I knew two gentle ladies for years
One white, the other black
No fears
They sat and talked about their dreams
Without tears
Oh Lord! How they loved one another
I was always impressed with the "up" feeling that these women had. I often looked forward to going on a house call to see them. The actually made me feel spiritually better. Both of these lovely ladies have gone up yonder to be with their Lord. It seems that during the season between Thanksgiving and New Years, many folks experience a stage of depression. This usually is manifested by a person's withdrawing from friends and relatives. Occasionally, they also might feel suicidal. During this holiday season, some folks manifest an "up" feeling and begin to show great respect for one another in the streets, stores, public transportation and at work. There seems to be a real sense of cosmic, good energy that defies disrespect and unconcern.
The Christ-Mass reminds us of the love that we must share with each other and with those throughout the world. This belief is expressed beautifully in a book entitled God In Our Relationships. This book is about the spirituality between people and is from the teachings of Martin Buber as written about by Rabbi Dennis S. Ross. The book is published by Jewish Lights Publishing. In this book, the philosophy of the I-IT relationship to the I-Thou relationship is explored and demonstrates how one should relate to others in a positive manner
For those who might feel depression during this season, I propose that you heed the following suggestions:
- Take time for quiet reflection and meditate on the importance of all life on this planet.
- Be a carrier of good news and not the blues.
- See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. Leave that to the monkeys.
- Make sure that when someone leaves your presence, they feel better.
- During a conversation with friends or enemies, just touch their arm or hand. A touch goes a long way.
- Give a donation to that person on the street whom you have passed so often. The Salvation Army needs all they can get to help others.
- Volunteer some of your time to a church or other institution such as hospital or nursing homes.
- Make amends with those persons in your family with whom you have disagreed.
- Call someone on the phone whom you haven't spoken to in a long time and tell him or her how much you miss his or her presence.
- Give a lot, but save some for yourself.
- Remember, love cannot be bought or stolen. I can only be given away.
- Have a Blessed Season, because there is a Reason that you have been give space on this planet.
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part One: Our Daily Encounters
Always Unexpected
From I-It Experience to I-Thou Encounter
Some Differences between I-It and I-Thou
Buber's Theology of Relationships
I-It: The Cradle of I-Thou
I-It and I-Thou in Professional and Helping Relationships
I-It: Limited and Seductive
I-It Darkens and Hardens
Part Two: I-It: A Spirit in Eclipse—Seven Stories
Eclipsed by the Race
Eclipsed by the Equipment
Eclipsed by the Pace
Eclipsed by Itself
Eclipsed by Possessions
Eclipsed by the Past
One Voice Lifts Another
The Afterglow
Part Three: I-Thou: When One Voice Lifts Another
Chance Encounter
Voices Rise between People
Rising Voices Are Transcendent
Rising Voices Obscure Time, Space, and Cause
Voices Rise Here and Now
Rising Voices: Unpredictable, Arriving by Grace, and Unique
Rising Voices: A Capella and Accompanied
Rising Voices Leave an Afterglow
Part Four: I-Thou on the Narrow Ridge
Risk
Mismeeting, Blurring, Oscillation, and Enrichment
The Narrow Ridge
Growing into I-Thou
Over and Against
The New Thinking
Imagine the Real
Community, Strife, and Holy Insecurity
The Last Row
Part Five: Eternal Thou: A Leap of Faith
Entering the Eternal
I-Thou: Delicate and Eternal
All Living Is Meeting
Eternal Thou
Eternal Thou: Jewish Roots
The Jewish Mystical Tradition
Urgency
Becoming the Master
Epilogue: At Day’s End
Notes
Further Reading