NORTH SHORE TOWERS CARES FOR THE NEEDY
BY BEVERLY BORD
North Shore Towers residents
have often asked
as to what happens to
the donations that are collected
in the brown hamper-looking
bins located in the mailbox room
in each building. Where do the
donations go?
Sam Schachter, Director of
Volunteer Services at Forest Hills
Center and Judith Vladimir, Senior
Director of Development at Samuel
Field Center, Commonpoint Queens,
have cordially provided definitive
answers to these questions.
An important fact to remember
is that Commonpoint Queens does
not require participants in the food
pantry program to show need for
food or essential daily items. Judith
Vladimir explains, “We find it difficult
enough for people to admit that
they need food. We are creating a
barrier-free opportunity for them to
not only feed themselves and their
families but also to introduce them
to our services such as work force
development to help them get their
lives back on track.”
As for the donations in the bins,
Sam Schachter picks up the filled
plastic bags in each building and
brings them to the Forest Hills center
where food and essential daily
items are distributed through the
Commonpoint Queens network to
those in need. School supplies are
distributed through school programs
to various public schools all around
Queens. Hygiene products are given
out primarily through the food
pantry and single parent programs.
So now you know the “where
and how” your donations are distributed.
In August, Building #3
was the first building to fill its bin
with school supplies. In September,
Building #2 was first. Keep filling
the bins! In addition, Judy Ross and
the talented knitting and crocheting
group, have again generously
contributed loads of yarn to Giving
Dolls at the Samuel Field center.
Thank you all, as always, for your
generosity!
The following are items to be
donated this month:
OCTOBER: Sock Drive for
Veterans. Socks will be collected
to be donated to men and women
veterans on Veterans Day through
the Soldiers Angels Warm Feet for
Warriors Campaign.
Please contact Sam Schacher,
Commonpoint Director of
Volunteers, at sschachter@commonpointqueens.
org to volunteer
to help the needy.
A pertinent point: Happiness is
not about eliminating sadness and
grief. On the contrary, it requires
acceptance of the whole range of
feelings that come our way. Loss
is a part of the human condition,
as are sadness, remorse, grief, and
disappointment. Quoting Carl
Jung: “Even a happy life cannot
be without a measure of darkness,
and the word happy would lose its
meaning if it were not balanced
by sadness. It is far better to take
things as they come along with
patience and equanimity.”
“And they lived happily ever
after” is a hyperbolic ending of
many fairy tales. But, alas, life is not
a fairy tale! The ability to adjust our
expectations is critically important.
There are times when we won’t get
what we want, even if we want it
badly, plan for it carefully, make
wise decisions, and deserve every
bit of goodness. We must learn to
accept imperfections and enjoy
what’s possible rather than lament
what is out of reach.
Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, one of the
world’s experts in the area of
Positive Psychology, whose courses
on happiness were the most popular
courses in the history of Harvard
University, published books on the
topic (his book “Happier” was a NY
Times bestseller) and is lecturing
worldwide on Positive Psychology
and leadership. He demonstrates
that we can learn how to be happy
and points out ways of combining
pleasure (transitory, ephemeral
happiness) and meaning (sustained
levels of happiness). Though much
of what he teaches is common
sense, his recommendations are
evidence-based, weaving together
scholarly research and spiritual
practices in insightful and inspiring
ways.
Another interesting perspective is
offered by Daniel Kahneman, winner
of the Nobel Prize in behavioral
economics. He too distinguishes
between short-term happiness,
which arises spontaneously and is
fleeting, and long-term satisfaction,
based on accomplishing
goals and creating
a life that dovetails with
one’s values. Kahneman
claims that money has a
significant influence on
satisfaction only when
funds are lacking. Poverty
creates suffering but, above
a certain level of income
necessary to satisfy basic
needs, wealth doesn’t create
happiness. Similar to
other Positive Psychology
experts, Kahneman’s
research demonstrates
that the fleeting feelings of
happiness, though important,
are not sufficient to
experience life satisfaction.
Satisfaction is retrospective
and based on enduring
memories that can help
us construct meaningful
narratives.
In spite of all the research,
happiness remains an
ever-elusive state which
means different things to
different people. The pursuit
of happiness entails maximizing
our ability to love,
live authentically and passionately,
develop satisfying relationships, be
a part of a community, confront
hardships with grace, continue
learning and growing, focus on
the half-full portion of the glass,
and engage in a life-long search for
meaning. Beyond these, each person’s
brand of happiness is unique.
We each need to create our own
ever-evolving formula.
As I am writing this, a happy
moment comes my way: My firstborn
grandson, now a PhD student
in Physics at Princeton University,
just arrived with his new advanced
telescope to show us Jupiter and the
moons orbiting it which, according
to him, would be visible from our
North Shore Towers’ balcony at 9
PM. Stepping out onto the balcony,
I listen to my grandson introducing
basic astrophysics. I focus on
his face, illuminated by the
distant city lights, and I see his
father: the same long, chiseled
face, same kind eyes, and that
thick wavy hair I can’t resist
touching (though his father’s
is salt-and-pepper now). Isn’t
there magic in this bloodline
of images transported through
time? I listen to my son’s son
talk about his dreams, and I
wish that this now-grown-up
boy, who studies physics to
better understand the world,
will carve the right place for
himself in it. I stand with my
firstborn grandson on the dimly
lit balcony and, despite the
breeze, I feel a warmth wash
over me. Caught up in this
moment of grace, I am flooded
with gratitude for a family
chain that continues, for each
added link, for a torch passing
from generation to generation
– transported through time and
continents, carrying tradition
and love.
Sometimes, simple happenings
become happy moments.
We just need to keep our eyes
open and pay attention.
AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
– A Poetic Version:
YES!
BY DR. NURIT ISRAELI
Some days,
the earth smiles at me through a window,
and I can’t help but smile back –
say yes to its offerings:
Yes, even though the world
isn’t on its best behavior.
Yes, though winter is on its way.
Yes, to fall’s short-lived shades of fire,
to the splendor of fading sunlight,
to passions that won’t fade away.
Yes, to dancing on (though feet are weary),
to seeking and finding,
losing and rising above.
Yes, to slivers of time packed with possibilities,
to hand-made moments of happiness,
to being dazzled. Still. In spite.
Yes. Just Yes!
October 2019 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 21
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