Today was the Day of Attornment. A day on which according to the Jewish faith you look back and reflect on your deeds over the past year. A day on which we reflect and repent for anything wrong we did meaningfully or incidentally. We ask forgiveness of ourselves and of our family and friends in case we neglected them in someway, did not show them, enough, how much we love and respect them, how much we care.
This year is so different from any other we experienced. We are living in a time that hate has overcome love, that aggression has overcome understanding, that despair has overcome vision and hope. We are living a time that a pandemic is spreading across lands and seas effecting our health, our economy, our lives and yet we, most of us, are just not taking it in. Instead of blaming our leaderships, although, I agree their have their share, let us decide for ourselves that we are going to do our part in keeping the disease away. For once, let us do as we are advised - wear the masks, keep social distance, etc. If we are sick, get tested but quarantine ourselves even before we are told to. Remember how there were plagues in the history of mankind but then there was no whatsapp, skype, zoom and others to allow us to keep in touch with our friends and loved ones near and far, work from afar and even see concert, or a show.
It is actually quite amazing what you see and understand when you stop for a moment, look into the mirror and reflect. There is a second that a smile comes to your lips when you think of the wonderful things that happened to you over the year, the people you managed to touch. Another second you may have tears come to your eyes when you think of something you did not manage to complete, a person you couldn't help, someone you might unintentionally have offended. Suddenly you will be thankful for a gift, a smile, a gesture of love and concern and then disappointed that you were not understood and that you felt that justice did not prevail.
One really does not need a special date on the calendar, whether you are Jewish, Moslem or Christian. One should just realize how important it is, from time to time, just put this on hold, take a pause and reflect!
