It’s Your Choice!
Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
Have you ever heard the saying- “be careful what you wish for” …?
We truly had a stretch of holidays with beautiful weather, especially for this time of the year.
Rosh Hashana set off with a mini bang. The weather was lovely, though there was a chill in the air. We thought, oh no, if this keeps going in this direction, Succoth is going to be a cold one!
So, we set up our insurance plans. Winter jackets came out of storage, wool outfits were prepared to replace lighter ones, and of course, wherever possible, heaters were put on timers to make the outdoor eating more tolerable.
But hey, that’s not at all how things played out. The weather was gorgeous. The succah was a pleasure. Chol Hamoed was so nice people were able to take trips to parks, farms, or simply enjoy their yards.
The gift kept giving, as Hoshana Rabba, Shimini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah stayed as pleasant and comfortable as the first days of Succoth.
Those who attended outdoor davening groups, could not have asked for more ideal temperature settings. The price was definitely right, cause No A/c was necessary and no heater was needed.
We could certainly have enjoyed riding this wave endlessly…!
But, then we prayed! Yup! We wished for it. And we GOT IT. We asked for that rain, and Gd Delivered it !
“Be careful what you wish for – cause you may get it”, is the whole saying.
There we were, all really loving that awesome weather- Savoring the walks, the bike rides, the outdoor cafes, the extended summer. We certainly could have kept going with it, why not?!
But here’s the thing. Gd answered our prayer without delay. Didn’t even skip a beat. How many times do we long for that? How much do we want to see the hand of Gd accommodate speedily?
We all petitioned together on one day, and the next day, VOILA, the clouds kicked in. Yes, the last day of Succoth we pray for rain. Rain, rain- It was no mere coincidence, it was an all-day event. In fact, it lasted even more then one day….
Now wait a minute, this is not really an odd or God article. – It’s more of a blue or Jew article. What do I mean by that?
God honestly operates on Gd time. We don’t get to control that, though, we always hope to impact it. But we have a more immediate power – that of choice.
So, when we get a rainy day – sure, we can experience it as a bleak day and thus choose to be BLUE about it, or alternatively, as an answer to our prayer’s day, and be a JEW about it.
A JEW has the power to see Gd’s hand in what occurs.
We can opt to see the rain this week as a wish that was answered immediately. And therefore, Instead of feeling “washed out” we can feel blessed already, as we launch into this new year!
Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivkirosenwald@gmail.com
