30,000 Chances To Get It Right

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “30,000 Chances To Get It Right.”

Teshuvah (Repentance) is really not just a yearly process, it is a daily one. And 80 years is almost 30,000 days, with every day that we wake up, get up, and start up the process of another day again, we have the opportunity to get it right this day, this time around!

Every day that we awake and arise is a great opportunity to try again where we failed in prior days and we can potentially think holier thoughts, say kinder words, and treat each other better, more compassionately and righteously.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Finding Reality in a Floating Pink Abstract World

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Finding Reality in a Floating Pink Abstract World.”

But when we return home to our Maker then we’ll see beyond time and space what we could never see while we were enveloped in a physical body and a material world. For the spirit survives the life as our L-rd spans infinity and one day too we will rejoin with Him and discover what our eyes could never see and our ears did never hear.

For our heart was hardened of flesh while our soul was molten and deep until eventually we awake from our slumber and find what we always did seek.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Purge

Thought this was an interesting sign someone had in their office. 

PURGE the things that no longer bring PURPOSE!

Yikes! I wonder who or what got purged from this person’s life recently. 

Yet, perhaps it is a good lesson against hoarding and just accumulating junk (things and certain people) along the way of life. 

When things have a deeply negative impact on your life (or they’re just dead weight), perhaps it is time to consider letting go.

I’m not talking about relationships of commitment (e.g. family), which have a stronger and timeless bond in my mind, but of those that earn their right into your life by virtue of being ongoing positive, productive forces. 

There is no blessing in gluttony or hoarding–stay trim and fit, travel light and with what is truly meaningful and necessary. 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

We Are Family!

I like this definition of family:

 

Family means NOBODY gets left behind. 

 

We take care of each other.

 

No matter what.

 

My father used to say:

Blood is thicker than water. 

 

It’s not just from the battlefield that we make sure to bring everyone home.

 

Home is where the heart is.  😉

 

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Prickly Like The People

This ball on the bench is prickly like a lot of people.

Say or do something that rubs them the wrong way and you got a sharp aching thorn in your side.

Hence the saying about handling them with “kid gloves” made from fine soft kid leather. 

Handle tactfully and with special consideration or else get stung badly and suffer the pain and consequences. 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Build Others Up

I saw this in one of the student lounges at the local JCC.

It says:

“Don’t Cut Down Others”

It’s far better to build people up then to tear them down. 

Jut like with trees, it’s better to plant a trillion trees than deforest the Amazon Rainforest. 

Trees are life and people are life. 

Be constructive and not destructive. 

Offer a nice word or compliment; provide an attentive and empathetic ear; give direction with some advice and guidance; lend a hand to someone in need; and in general, be a good influence. 

Unfortunately, too many people default to cutting down the old cherry tree! 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Hope You Had A Good “Veek”

So I was asked do you spell week with a “W” or a “V.”

I guess sometimes it does sound like we say veek.

Someone else told me that they are divorced and that person is still a “dark force” in their life.

They said they have to pay child support but can’t afford it. 

It’s not like I still earn $55,000 like I used to.

But if they don’t pay…

Well my ex will just refuse to let me see my son!

People have tough lives. 

So when you think about your week, hopefully in context, you can resolutely say that you had a good veek. 

Shabbat Shalom! 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Pyramid of Emotional Intelligence

I really like this Pyramid of Emotional Intelligence (EI). 

It starts at the bottom with your own personal self-awareness–knowing who you are, including your beliefs, values, priorities, needs, and dreams, and being able to express this. 

Next level is your personal self-control–being able to manage your feelings, control your actions, and cope with challenges and adversity. 

Moving to the social level is then social awareness–having a consciousness and respect of others, their feelings, thoughts, motivations, needs, desires, and rights.

Finally, at the top is relationship management–the ability to actively listen and empathize, assert and influence, be patience and unconditionally accept differences, develop trust, give and take, collaborate, and manage conflict.

Most people work on developing these areas of the EI their whole life, and it is definitely a pyramid worthy of the climb. 😉

(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)

You’re Driving Me Nuts

There is just something so crazy funny about this Simpsons’ painting. 

Homer is mad as h*ll and has Bart by throat!

Bart is screaming for help.

It so funny how art imitates life. 

Where people drive others $%#&^*)* crazy. 

And the other person just wants to wring their freakin’ neck. 

Yeah, this never really happens. 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

3 Types of Dumping

This was sort of a funny sign:

“No Dumping”

Dumping can refer to at last 3 different types of things and none of them are any good:

1) Dogs – When people are inconsiderate with the animals and they take a “dump” and people don’t clean up after them (leaving the messy stink for you to step in). 

2) Trash – When people throw their trash in the dump or what they consider to be a convenient dumping ground and they make a huge mess of the surroundings (like the used mattress on the side of the road).

3) Emotions – When people dump their emotions and problems on others; they just sort of let it all out and while they may feel better (i.e. a nice catharsis), now you feel like sh*t!

Overall, I can’t think of any good connotation to dumping, so maybe people should stop doing it–dogs, trash, and problems.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)