You can’t drive anywhere!! And your car’s perfectly fine. You can’t use your phone, even though it’s fully charged. You can’t cook or go to a restaurant. What are you supposed to do, starve?! You can’t watch TV, shop, or spend money! Hooray??!!
Does that sound stifling?
Yet —You can relax, notice and enjoy the people around you, read, play games…. You can also do this ancient activity – talk -rather than text! You can eat- in fact too much – but the preps all been done! And best of all-You can function in real time rather than overdrive!
There was a time some people felt the concept of Shabbas could be restricting. Today, many people start to recognize it as liberating. Kids actually put down their technology. In fact…so do husbands and wives, mothers and fathers. Everyone seems to appreciate that the other person is more present even when they’re missing their stuff. People basically seem to take more notice of each other- And it’s not on Facebook, Snapchat or a Shidduch resume! Its right there, live!
We are an anxious society these days. Everyone feels concerned about something and it’s staying and playing on their mind. It’s hard to let it go. It’s there – plaguing their brain. Then this magical moment takes place – candle lighting. And it’s better than a Xanax. Everything goes into slow motion. And you are allowed to just be! In fact, you are trained to just be. Which is amazing because we know that people usually cannot relax just because someone says RELAX!
Yet something in the formula, the do’s and don’ts of it, combine to bring one to a level of sudden complete calm. I guess it’s because the rule is you can do no more! Activity stops and simplicity sets in! This is so amazing -if only you could bottle it!!!
I’m not pushing the concept just taking note of it!
So many times, people try to slow their week down but the week gets in the way. This idea of taking the week out of the week seems inspired?! (Wink wink)
In fact, people are always trying to emulate it with camping trips, vacations, office outings. The idea being, to get away from the daily routine, concerns, grind. Well, I for one, just want to say I’m thankful that someone bigger and better than me figured this out way before I got here and at a very good price at that. No booking, traveling, or schlepping, just three waves of my hands in front of a candle -kind of reminds you of Dorothy clicking her heels- and I’m there.
So, who cares if the car sits idle a day. The phone hangs out on its charger. The potato sits neglected in its cabinet. I’m hanging out with animate objects and we are totally engrossed, engaged, and enjoying all the bells and whistles built in to the technology of the human body and mind. And guess what- it’s a pretty impressive model with more gadgets than the I phone will ever see!
Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com<mailto:rivki@rosenwalds.com