The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are all
about self-reflection. It is about making yourself a better person by figuring
out where you are and deciding where to go next. It is also about fixing the
wrongs that you have committed in the last year.
I am, by no means, a perfect person. I have messed up. I
have room to grow. I want to take the chance to reflect on the areas where I
can improve in a way that is both reflective and open, so that those to whom I
owe an apology may hear my most heartfelt repentance.
I have been arrogant. I have let my emotions get the best of
me. I have acted selfishly when I could have acted in the best interests of
those around me. In the coming year, I hope to vastly improve on my ability to
handle a situation, and improve on my reactions to the world around me. I want
to work on my patience both with situations and with people.
I have worried. I have stressed. I have forgotten to look
around me and see how beautiful the world is, because I have been so wrapped up
in how stressful parts of it can be. I want, in the coming year, to open my
eyes. To be here, in each moment. To understand that things have a tendency to
work out, and that my ability to fix them is sometimes limited.
I have let things rest. I have been complacent. I want to be
better. I want to push. I want to push myself, and push others. I want to
continue to get better, as a person, as a friend, as a leader. And I’m going to use the beautiful world
around me to give that betterment meaning.
And I want to apologize. I want to say I’m sorry to those
who I have hurt, or with whom I have lost patience. Most often it is the people
I care for most who get hurt. My parents, my brother, my family, my friends, my
girlfriend, everyone, deserves a little better of me, and by this apology, I
also make a promise. I will work on it. I will do better. I will improve.
I think Yom Kippur comes with one final, under appreciated
section. For every apology, there should be a thank-you. Thank you to those who
stuck with me in my challenges. Thank you to those who set me on the right path
when I wanted to go off the wrong way. Thank you to those who demonstrated
patience with me and taught me when I couldn't do it by myself.
Yom Kippur is one of my favorite holidays. It isn’t about
the fasting, and it isn’t about the long hours in temple. It is about the time
that we spend looking at ourselves and assessing how we can be better people
when we sit here next year.
We ask God to inscribe us in the Book of Life, to give us
another year to improve. And that is a promise to God. We are asking God to
give us another go-round, another chance to show the world the best of
ourselves. And I intend to make the best use of the days I get to improve
myself and improve the world around me.
To all I have hurt, I’m sorry. To all that love me, I love
you. To all that I love, I’ll show you. L’Shana Tova Tikateivu.
No comments:
Post a Comment