Whoopie!

Unfortunately my whoopie pies tasted like two hockey pucks slathered with sweet melted slime.  The realization that my dessert making technique needs some serious attention is becoming crystal clear.  As for my other recipes, I knocked those out of the park.  The pull-apart bbq brisket was sweet and savory as was the sweet and sour meatballs, which were completely finished after one meal.  You know you’re doing well when leftovers are at a minimum.  As for the Whoopie pies?  We had every one of those left over.  It was a sad and unfortunate dessert fiasco.

Being that the Jewish calendar is filled with holidays rotating across the year, have you ever wondered what the true nature of the holidays represent?  For example, do you think it is an accident that Purim falls out a quarter of the way into the New Year?  After we have worked on correcting our ways, asking for new things, begging for a turn around in September during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur the time when one might get frustrated or despondent would be around the end of February beginning of March.

It is this exact time of year we have tried our luck and might be feeling discouraged.  Before the big win, we might be feeling like our prayers have gone to waste. But comes Purim to teach us that every single event that occurs in our lives is there to get us to a greater place and teach us the lesson of having ultimate faith.  Just as Esther and Mordechai sat distressed wondering if their own self sacrifice was really getting them closer to their own demise or closer to their own refuge, I imagine many of us think around this time of year these questions: Are our efforts working?  Is our hard work paying off?  Is there a master plan to our work?  When do we get to see the actual win? Or are we just forced to rotate in our daily grind without any meaning or positive results?

Purim is here to remind us that we can recreate our bad habits at any moment. We can take a look at our lives and find the joy and utter excitement.  We can mix things up, get dressed in different costumes and try on a better attitude to push us to the next phase of life that we are all yearning for. 

Take the time out of your Purim day to help a less fortunate person.  Have a meal with friends and realize today is the day that you can change your life and recreate a totally new direction before we reach the middle of the year. 

Purim is a time of self- reflection, and renewal.  And even if the whoopie pies didn’t come out soft, light, and airy, there is always next week to try, try, try again.

Have a wonderful Purim!  And a Freilichen Chag! 

(Since today is the holiday of Purim where the commandment is to share a basket of two food groups to at least one person.  As a result of understanding my inability to bake- I will be passing out personal pizza pies and beer. Take out rocks!)