I used to own a copy of Margot Zemach’s picture book, “It Could
Always Be Worse.” It’s an old Yiddish story about a poor man who lives with his
large, noisy family in a tiny house. He complains about his lot and the rabbi
tells him to move his chickens into the crowded house. This, of course, doesn’t
improve the situation. One by one, the rabbi has the poor man move all his farm
animals out of the barn and into the house. At the story’s end, his advice is
to move them all back out again. Without the livestock, the house is peaceful
and the man is content. Happiness is so often a matter of perspective. This is
a difficult time for all of us, physically, emotionally and financially. But we
have running water, power, and even Internet access. The garbage is being
collected, and goods are delivered to our doors. It could be so much worse.
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