Life was meant to be stress free. Why then is life full of stress and strife? Who made it to be this way?

In the beginning humanity was placed to live in a garden. We in turn made decisions that got us cast out of the garden and into the jungle.

Some in turn consider this to be a good thing. Yet, only wild animals consider it good to live in the jungle rather than to live in the garden. Domesticates live in the garden; wild animals live in the jungle. Domesticates live a life that is relatively stress free, whereas wild animals live a life that is entirely full of stress and strife. Which are we, domesticates or wild animals? Our answer defines for us who we are and how we live.

Only when we live up to our potential of being fully human can we expect to accomplish to goals and benefits of what this means. To be called a "man" is a term for all huMANity, male and female, regardless of foolish and illusionary differences such as the color of one's skin, the language one speaks or the beliefs one holds. We are all together huMANity, one race under G-d, with no choice to be anything else.

Stress is the natural result of living unnaturally. Only a return to one's proper natural way can one truly find release from stress. Only by being true to one's self can one go one's proper way. One can never find one's true self outside of who and what one is. Try as we may to be someone or something else, all these foolish efforts on our parts only cause us more confusion and thus more stress.

There is no stress in peace. There is only stress in confusion. One can only be at peace when one is first in harmony with oneself. One has a far greater definition of self than merely what one sees reflected in the mirror. What it is we wish to be and how we wish to appear in both the eyes of others and ourselves does not by any means define for us who we are. It only defines for us who we want to be. This is the illusion and the falsehood that creates both jungle and stress. One who lives their life as a "wanna-be" can never be what is.

We cause our own stress because we choose to live in the jungles of denials and illusionary self perceptions. We create the illusion of being wise when in reality all we are is fools. Foolishness breeds contempt. Foolishness breeds conflict. Foolishness is its own punishment.

I look out at a world of those who embrace foolishness and the life of the jungle. They wonder in amazement why it is then that they have become the prey and are beseeched with endless problems. In the wisdom of simplicity I see their problems. Yet, I am silenced because my voice is not heard. The roar of the jungle drowns out my words. Only the roars of the wild beasts are heard and the animals on the jungle run in fear.

I however choose not to diminish my humanity and therefore I will stay in the garden from which I was born. I fear not the Torah and I cling to its ways. I know Torah is my home and the Mother of my soul. I know Torah and therefore I know myself. I do not need others to tell me that which I already know.

I close my eyes and I see Torah. I open them and I see Torah. Torah is my garden, the place wherein which I remember my huMANity. Oh, how I wish I could gives eyes to the blind, to see for themselves that which I see so clearly.

May the day soon come when the roaring beasts are silenced and those who run are prey no more. Maybe then when they look in the mirror they will remember that they too are part of humMANity and Torah too is their home...