Ever since a close relative went OTD, I say the perek of t’shuva daily (nun-alef) and have added others to the way-too-long list (friends’ and neighbors’ kids, etc.) . If you want me to add your kids, send the names and I’ll have them in mind as well. I must admit that I don’t usually read off all the names (but occasionally I do!). But before I say the perek I do say that I have everyone on the list in mind. In addition to the basic bakasha that they find their path back to Hashem, I add that Hashem should heal the pain in their hearts that distanced them and implant in them the emotional insight and intellectual knowledge that their happiness will come only from a close relationship with Hashem via kiyum Torah and mitzvos. And that He should give them the courage to act on that insight and knowledge to return to sh’miras Torah and mitzvos with a happy heart, in good physical, emotional and spiritual health. I honestly don’t believe that they’re atheists who have struggled on an intellectual level and didn’t find answers. I think most of them are troubled souls who for whatever reason did not find their place in “the system” whether LD, ADD, non-academic, social difficulties, oppositional, restless, suffered abuse, mental health issues and so on. They abandoned religion as a result of suffering and need to heal in order to return. Some fell victim to laziness and taavos, and after feeling the emptiness, don’t have the courage to come back because they feel too “dirty” and hopeless. This can cause depression and escape into sustance abuse, alcoholism and so on. They are not atheists. They are sweet kids who care underneath it all, want to find meaning but have abandoned hope. We need to make place for them where they’ll feel cherished and treasured and step one is to make place for them in our hearts. May “veheishiv leiv avos al bonim v’leiv bonim al avosom” come to pass very soon, and until then, we will keep davening for them with love and compassion.
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