One of my supervisors at the Maple Counseling Center reminded me that the brain doesn’t distinguish between anxiety and excitement. That sometimes when we look forward to a new chapter of our journey, enthusiastic anticipation is clouded by our practiced reflex to first, worry. Is it a survival mechanism? Perhaps. But do we let worry inhibit our abilities to experience the beauty of this world? Yes, way too often.
A Bisl Torah
Training Wheels
We took the training wheels off of Henry’s bicycle. He hasn’t perfected his riding skills with the training wheels, but he insisted. Henry wants to ride like the big kids and didn’t hesitate jumping on as soon as the wheels were removed.
A Bisl Passover
We often forget that the season of Pesach is considered a Jewish New Year. As we should expect, Rosh Hashana gets a lot of attention. But Rosh Hashana invokes teshuvah, a time for introspection, forgiveness and actively trying to change a trait or repair a relationship.
Elijah and the Tooth Fairy
Never leave your phone out. Obviously, this could be the beginning of many dilemmas, but mine isn’t what you might expect. The kids saw an open application, otherwise known as the Tooth Fairy App.
Hide n’ Seek
My daughter insisted that our family play hide n’ seek. I’m not a big fan of the game. Kids stealthily waiting to jump out at you, closets in shambles by the end of the game, and each child wanting multiple turns. When Annie requested hide n’ seek, I countered with Bananagrams. Unsurprisingly, 30 seconds later, I began to hide.
Planting A Seed
One year ago, I was comparing the plagues of the Passover story to the plague of Covid-19. But this year, I don’t want to focus on the plagues. Instead, I want to focus on how I can make this seder night different. Mah nishtana halaila hazeh? How I can make this seder night different from all other nights. How I can make this upcoming year different from all other years.
Strength In a Cookie
We continued our annual tradition of baking hamantaschen. This year, the experience was a little different. Sinai Temple joined 75 other families on zoom, communally made dough and laughed through our baking questions. How much flour? How do you create the perfect triangle shape? How many minutes in the oven?
Pocket Torah
In rabbinical school, common advice from mentors included, “Always have a piece of pocket Torah.” Meaning, wherever you find yourself, be ready to share a Torah lesson, story, teaching or message. In a world with so much beauty, tragedy, hope and loss, there should always be a piece of Torah to share. And yet, visually, I think of someone’s pockets. At points in our lives, our pockets feel inside out, empty cloth triangles, revealing an inability to feel joy. Hollow pockets.
Let Love In
In the secular world, this weekend brings in a holiday known for love. Cards exchanged, chocolates consumed, cheesy movies watched. It’s a time in which we show affection for those we care about. But if we are being honest, it is also a time in which we hope to feel honored, valued, and seen. How much of these Hallmark holidays is wondering if a card will end up in our own mailbox?
A Time for Laughter
When is the last time you laughed? Not a quick smile, but the kind of deep belly laugh that comes out of nowhere. That kind of laugh.
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