A woman came to a wise rabbi for help. She was depressed and in grief after a bereavement and poured out her sorrow to the holy man. The rabbi only commented mildly that it was very cold. He suggested therefore, that she go around the neighbouring houses and collect some firewood. Then they could sit down and discuss her sad predicament. He told her however, not to ask for wood at any house where sorrow had been experienced by the family.

A bit taken aback, the woman nevertheless set out on this firewood quest. After a considerable time she returned empty-handed. In the whole neighbourhood she had not found one family without its own burden of grief.

As she was telling this to the rabbi, she realised that somehow she felt better in herself. Somewhere on that journey, her own healing had begun unawares.

(Hassidic story by John Shea, Starlight)