Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Shana Tova

We are now in the midst of the High Holy Days, the Days of Awe. For me, this is a time to break free from my hectic, fragmenting routine, where I find myself racing around scattered in too many directions, bombarded by pressing demands, concerns, requests, distractions, to instead stop and reflect on how to be a better person.

There is something calming, also bracing, about taking time out from time to meditate about this question. I am comforted by the change in priorities and the falling away of all the sharp pricks, needling and often trivial concerns of my day-to-day existence.

When we, as Jews, usher in Yom Kippur on Kol Nidre this coming Sunday evening, our reflection about where we have fallen short, our prayers for forgiveness, our resolves to do better, will be the locus of our concentrated focused attention. Nothing else. We will wear white. Many will fast. Others will give up something they desire. We will be amongst family, or if you are like my family, expats or lost or cut off from your blood, then among friends, community, who become one's family.

Wishing you shana tova.

2 comments:

Leo said...

So that's what its called, when you take the time to step back, reflect, think about your own self, how to be a better person.

While not Jewish, I do this from time to time during the year. While I am not trivializing Yom Kippur, my birthday stands in for this annual event.

I find as I age, I get more reflective, more sanguine about the day-to-day, and more focussed on developing my own abilities for me, to come to some understanding about who I am, what I want to do, where I have been and where I want to go from here.

Here's wishing you shana tova.

Chez Ami said...

That's great that you use your b-day to take stock.

I find we can be so caught up in the day-to-day that we all get cross and numb.

I look forward to these holidays each year and do my best to honour them.