Life Coach

It’s Your Choice!

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., MFT, CLC

Have you ever heard the saying, “Be careful what you wish for”?

We truly had a stretch of holidays with beautiful weather, especially for this time of the year.

Rosh Hashana set off with a mini bang. The weather was lovely, though, there was a chill in the air. We thought, oh no, if this keeps going in this direction, Sukkos is going to be a cold one!

So, we set up our insurance plans. Winter jackets came out of storage, wool outfits were prepared to replace lighter ones, and, of course, wherever possible, heaters were put on timers to make the outdoor eating more tolerable.

But hey, that’s not at all how things played out. The weather was gorgeous. The sukkah was a pleasure. Chol Hamoed was so nice people were able to take trips to parks or farms, or simply enjoy their yards.

The gift kept giving, as Hoshana Raba, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah stayed as pleasant and comfortable as the first days of Sukkos.

Those who attended outdoor davening groups could not have asked for more ideal temperature settings. The price was definitely right because no A/C was necessary and no heater was needed.

We could certainly have enjoyed riding this wave endlessly.

But then we prayed. Yup! We wished for it. And we got it! We asked for that rain, and G-d delivered it!

“Be careful what you wish for because you may get it” is the whole saying.

There we were, all really loving that awesome weather – savoring the walks, the bike rides, the outdoor cafes, the extended summer. We certainly could have kept going with it, why not?!

But here’s the thing. Hashem answered our prayer without delay. How many times do we long for that? How much do we want to see the Hand of G-d so speedily?

We all petitioned together on one day, and the next day, voila, the clouds kicked in. Yes, the last day of Sukkos we pray for rain. Rain, rain – it was no mere coincidence. It was an all-day event. In fact, it lasted even more than one day....

Now, wait a minute, this is not really an “odd or G-d” article. It’s more of a “blue or Jew” article. Let me explain.

Hashem operates on His time. We don’t get to control that, though, we always hope to impact it. But we have a more immediate power – that of choice.

So, when we get a rainy day, sure, we can experience it as a bleak day

Instead of feeling “washed out,” we can feel blessed already.

and thus choose to be BLUE about it,

or alternatively, we can see it as an answer to our prayer’s day, and be a JEW about it.

A Jew has the power to see G-d’s Hand in what occurs.

We can opt to see the rain this week as a wish that was answered immediately. And therefore, instead of feeling “washed out,” we can feel blessed already, as we launch into this new year!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com.