Dear all,
A few months ago, my “Moment in Time” was inspired by a flat tire on my bike.
Today – it is from a flat tire on my car!
Sigh – sometimes I really wonder if God is testing me!
I’m sure you can all resonate with the variety of emotions I felt. After all, this flat tire:
Ruined my evening plans.
Made me nervous to drive the very short distance to a safe place.
Cost money to fix.
Got me all dirty.
As annoyed as I was, I realized in that moment in time: with all the great problems our world faces, this is a minor inconvenience. It’s all about perspective.
I am reminded of a lesson from our Torah. When our ancestors travelled from Egypt to Israel, God had them go the long way. Why? Rashi explains: so that they might gain perspective from their journey.
Life is filled with many challenges. Some are truly nightmares that no one should ever face. But most of the time, what we might call a nightmare in frustration is really just a minor inconvenience. What can we learn from them? How will the round about journey shape us? And how will we grow from the experience?
With love and shalom,
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
