We are a bit obsessed with milestones. The 20th anniversary of September 11. The 18 month mark of this global pandemic.
I do regret not having checked in here more often of late, if only to be able to look back at this special time and remember what I was up to. However, regrets do absolutely nothing and so I shall simply start writing here more often going forward.
Thinking about milestones, it happens to be 19 months from today that I traveled to Israel. I loved every minute of my 10 days there exploring, studying, meeting new friends and strengthening existing connections. The day I left, I set a single intention, something to remain in the forefront of my mind to try to bring the entire life-changing experience home with me.
“Sheviti Adonai l’negdi tamid.” “I place God before me always.”
This single phrase means (for me) being personally mindful of the sacredness and wonder and preciousness of life, and specifically my own life. It means moving ever forward, striving to improve myself and listen to those around me. It means knowing that every single person in the world has a unique purpose or they would not be here, and so I must work on those middot (traits) that I most struggle with in order to better fulfil my own purpose. And it means learning much more about what it means to live a life of Torah: how to incorporate its values into my everyday life and studying the history, sacred texts, and language of our people. Finally, it means seeking out time for introspection to better reflect on how I am doing with all of it.
Among his many lessons, Rabbi Hillel the Elder tells us that we already have everything that we need to fulfil our purpose. I have the tools and I have the right circumstances. Yet someone needs to actually do it… and that can only be me. You have the same setup. How miraculous it is that we each have a unique purpose in the world!
I remember an aha moment on the Israel trip as I realized that it is not at all humble (or correct, or responsible, or proper) to keep my thoughts and ideas to myself. It’s actually rather selfish! I have been given unique thoughts and viewpoints and talents and it is my responsibility to share them with the world. Thus, I have given a little more weight to my ideas, stepped up my Mussar facilitation to be able to share this self-actualization and growth with others, and begun creating more Jewish art.
I am so happy to return to this space and I will be writing more about what I’m learning, thinking about, and doing. I’m not going to place rules on it or promise you a post twice a week. So many times, I’ve not posted here because I had so much to say that I couldn’t stop to write it down. We’ll just see what happens. See you again soon. 🙂
