Anatomy of a Tear: A Chaplain's Stories of Life, Love & Loss (Paperback)

Life affirming true stories of a Chaplain's encounters with patients, their families and caregivers as he witnesses their tears of joy and heartache during life's most profound moments. Advance praise for "Anatomy of a Tear": "Such a blessing for us! Leon Olenick gives us stories so simply profound they touch all the organs of the body, tenderizing the heart, assisting the liver to live a life worth living! More than that, they render the soul so it might emerge clarified. This is an enduring and precious read." - Mitchell Chefitz, author of "The Seventh Telling" and "The Curse of Blessings" "These magnificent stories are filled with insightful, creative, and often replicable acts of compassion and loving-kindness direly needed in healthcare settings today. This master chaplain reveals how to extend the beauty and meaning of living into every last moment." - Rabbi Goldie Milgram, author of "Mitzvah Stories: Seeds for Inspiration and Learning" "My eyes mist as I enter these sacred encounters. These moments become unforgettable and now live within me. I am forever grateful to Leon for remembering these times and for sharing their majesty. I find my spirit renewed as I recognize myself "living in black and white rather than Technicolor." The images drawn from these relationships will give new meaning to all who draw near. May the sweet water of the tears herein flow through you and renew." - Martha Rutland, ACPE Supervisor, Board Certified Chaplain, United Methodist Minister "Leon Olenick managed to integrate all the required learning to be a Rabbi and chaplain with the heart. This book is a heart opener for clergy and their work and for people who seek out clergy for help. In story after story I was moved to tears of compassion." - Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi, author of "The Geologist of the Soul" "Chaplains enter our lives at our most vulnerable moments. Their task isn't to cure but to heal: to create sacred space where we can find wholeness in the midst of our shattering. No one does this better then Reb Leon. The stories in Anatomy of a Tear carry on this work --- his work --- through the printed page. There is healing in this book if you dare to receive it." - Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of "Perennial Wisdom for the Spiritually Independent"