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A Moment in Time: There’s Always Opportunity to Start Again

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December 1, 2017
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Dear all,

Last summer, Ron and I visited the incredible Olympic Museum in Switzerland.   The self-guided tour begins with this “START” marker.

It reminded me of the Wizard of Oz, when Glinda, the good witch, reminds Dorothy that when we are lost, it’s  always best to start at the beginning.

It reminded me of Maria in The Sound of Music, when she teaches the children, “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.”

And it made me realize that throughout life, there is always opportunity to start.

We start over.
We sometimes need a jump start.
We often are off to a running start.
And yes, every once in a while we start off on the wrong foot.

But we can always start again.

In the late 18th Century, The Hassidic Master, Rabbi Nachman of Breslav was famous for saying, “The whole world is a narrow bridge.  What’s most important is not to allow fear to prevent you from starting the journey to cross it.”

Are you ever afraid to move forward?  You are not alone  And just remember: today is your moment in time to start.
With love and shalom,
Rabbi Zach Shapiro

A change in perspective can shift the focus of our day – and even our lives.  We have an opportunity to harness “a moment in time,” allowing our souls to be both grounded and lifted.  This blog shows how the simplest of daily experiences can become the most meaningful of life’s blessings.  All it takes is a moment in time.
Rabbi Zach Shapiro is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Akiba, a Reform Jewish Congregation in Culver City, CA.  He earned his B.A. in Spanish from Colby College in 1992, and his M.A.H.L. from HUC-JIR in 1996.  He was ordained from HUC-JIR – Cincinnati, in 1997.

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