In New Jersey, it is a seasonal tradition to go “fruit-picking”. In our past visits, we picked apples and pumpkins. This occasion we enjoyed picking blueberries, sunflowers, zucchini, and sweet corn. As we walked into the farm, a decorated sign caught my eye: “More fun than you can handle.”
I found the statement odd. Why can’t we handle the fun? Going on a tractor ride, watching our children scrutinize the different sizes of berries, comparing the growth of one flower to another…this fun seemed perfectly manageable. Just as my cynicism over the sign turned into smugness, I was surprised to see random sunflowers growing within vast fields of corn. Drops of beauty hidden within rows of yellow and green. If you slightly turned your head, you would have entirely overlooked the scene. And as we drove away from those sun-kissed fields, I thought over and over again, “I almost missed that.”
Perhaps the sign wasn’t implying that there is an overabundance of fun, too much to hold or experience. Perhaps the sign was challenging its students: don’t let the outside world drown your ability to soak up a moment. Joy isn’t a rare spice to be savored. Put down the phone. Clear the cobwebs. Get rid of the clutter your mind refuses to give up. Instead, open your eyes to the possibilities that sit right before you. Sunflowers concealed within fields upon fields. My children running through beds of wildflowers. Laughter over the various ways to use up hundreds of blueberries. Fun…that I almost missed.
Tehillim reminds us, “This is the day God has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Today. This day. A day filled with endless opportunities to smile, gladden one’s heart, listen and find joy. Don’t turn away. This is your moment to grasp. Don’t miss a single second.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Nicole Guzik is a rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at Rabbi Nicole Guzik. For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik’s blog section from Sinai Temple’s website.
