Life Lessons

Since I have had a huge change in my schedule and free time in the last two weeks, I have filled it up with the work that I love, and have been non stop.  I am so happy, yet tired, it has been hot, and the desert heat really affects my kids and I.  They get fevers and a dry cough, we use a humidifier and homeopathic cough medicine with honey, and I get a super dry throat, skin, and nose, I use my neti pot, drink tea and honey, and try to sleep as good as I can.  I feel when you finish something, whether toddlerhood, a job, or anything in life, it takes a while for your body to find its rythm again.  The schedule completely changes, and there is a type of detoxing going on, I feel extra tired, and now I can let me body replenish, heal, and move forward.  Most importantly what has helped me is to be open and really listen to my gut.

Every Shabbat we learn life lessons, I love to read perspectives and thoughts, I think we can learn from everyone and everything that happens in life.

"The best way of defeating anger is to pause, stop, reflect, refrain, count to ten, and breathe deeply. If necessary, leave the room, go for a walk, meditate, or vent your toxic feelings alone. It is said that about one of the Rebbes of Lubavitch that whenever he felt angry, he would take down the Shulchan Arukh to see whether anger was permitted under the circumstances. By the time he had finished studying, his anger had disappeared.

The verdict of Judaism is simple: Either we defeat anger or anger will defeat us."- Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz

Backup Camera

It seems to be a standard feature in most automobiles these days but for me it was a novelty. I am talking about a backup camera which helps you see what’s behind your vehicle when backing up.

They are pretty cool gadgets but something I haven’t really used much before. Our family cars are not equipped with many technological gizmos such as built in GPS, fancy audio systems and….backup cameras.

A week in New York using cars borrowed from family members opened my eyes to this gadget and the lessons it contained. I was enamored by the camera yet couldn't understand why.

Most of you probably use these every day so I won’t bother you with the details but it is pretty cool to have a screen up front showing you not only what is behind your car when backing up but also using alarms and flashing lines to protect you from going too far and causing damage to your car or the one behind you.

Imagine we had such a gadget on the journey we call life.

At those moments when we are unable to move forward without taking a step back, how lucky we would be for some guidance and protection not to go too far.

At those moments when circumstances seem to give to us an unwanted setback, a warning of what is behind us would put limits on our slide.

We strive to always be in a forward motion but the reality of life sometimes sends us the opposite way. A backup camera with slick indicators and bells would be a fantastic lifesaver.

Then I realized that it exists but you have to seek it out. Our sages in Pirkei Avot teach “Provide for yourself a spiritual leader, and acquire a friend.”

Masters and friends are crucial for survival. They encourage us on the way up, and protect us if we ever fall. They are important on so many levels but particularly when backing up. They alert us to what is behind us and safeguard us when we trip.

I have no doubt that our family is where we are today because of a tight circle of teachers, family, and friends that appeared on the screen when life had us backing up. Our sages had it right.

Seek out spiritual leaders and good friends, in addition to everything else, they will serve as your backup camera.

I then understood why I was so enamored by the backup camera in the car.

The story above made me laugh because I got spoiled by the backup camera and other features, since we lease cars, my husband is an auto broker, they are brand new and have all the gadgets.  I am now driving a used car, it handles great, Thank God has air conditioning and electronic windows and doors, but not much else.  I actually have to pay extra attention now how I back up and back in, I kind of liked the guided system, it is nice to have a guide, just to make life a little easier to navigate.

Enjoy this awesome video of  "Mad Science,"

I took my kids to this free show at the library,

I know how to navigate around town and find fun things for kids for free!

Shabbat Shalom,

Coach Yulia