Today I saw a sight that filled me with pity.
As the event unfolded before my eyes I could feel the feeling of loss, frustration and deep sense of regret in the protagonist.
The feeling of a missed opportunity was hanging heavy and I could relate completely.
Let me elaborate.
I was driving down the road and I noticed a woman, standing in the middle of the street.
She stood, alone, shoulders slumped in defeat, a full garbage bag in her hand with the specter of the garbage truck beating a hasty exit before her.
I could feel her pain.
If only she had been there a minute before!
What a lost opportunity.
This is a very timely allegory.
We are poised to enter the High Holiday season and we have in hand a heavy load.
Perhaps missed opportunities to say kind words.
Perhaps unkind words we let escape from our lips.
Perhaps we misjudged someone without giving the benefit of the doubt.
But we are so fortunate.
We are not watching the garbage truck speed off into the horizon.
We can still hop aboard a vehicle of self awareness.
We have the opportunity to show up and move forward.
This week’s Torah portion is Ki Tavo and it talks about entering the Land of Israel and receiving it as an inheritance.
What must the Jewish people do to receive this inheritance?
They just need to show up.
Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi teaches us that on these days before Rosh Hashana as we pray for another year, we need to become a “Ki Tavo” a person who is coming towards the gifts, the potential of their own growth, reaching our purpose.
Tonight, Jwcatlanta hosted our High Holiday event entitled , Entering the New Year with Purpose and Potential.
Our speaker, Gevura Davis shared a great deal of uplifting and thoughtful inspiration regarding maximizing this time.
Her message focused on not giving up on ourselves.
Getting to the best version of our core selves is hard work, but there is a seed of greatness inside each of us and we need to nurture it so it can manifest itself.
Gevura encouraged us to focus on 4 Ps:
Potential, Passion, Purpose and Process.
If we can identify the first 3 which should be the engine of our personal growth then we can employ a process to achieve our goals.
And it is the process, the hard work, the realization of our purpose, that can actually save our lives as it will give us the life force to overcome challenges and bumps along the way.
The process can save our lives!
What a powerful notion.
And this is the time of year which has the potential to access this energy.
Ki Tavo
Just come.
Just show up.
Don’t let these precious days pass you by.
You don’t want to be left holding the bag.
Shabbat Shalom and so much love.