Thoughts & Teachings
Randy Getz
I don't think I have ever consciously prepared for the High Holidays. The extent of my thoughts has been limited to anticipation of seeing family and friends at meals or shul, and strategizing about what to eat and drink before Kol Nidre to minimize the pain. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Once yuntif starts, however, I feel that I am quickly able to find some meaning in the day---by personal reflection, the external quest of prayers and melodies, the rabbi's words, and recollections of holidays and family members past.
As this year comes to a close, my intention is to try something different. I plan to come up with a list of things that happened this year for which I am thankful and will thank God ---be it a vacation with my wife, a welcome home kiss from a child, reconnecting with an old friend, healthy parents, or a walk with my dogs.
I also plan, ahead of time, to make a less pleasant list---of things that I did this past year that hurt those I love, those I like, and those I don't even know. For the sin I committed by not recycling. For the sin I committed by not being there. For the sin of not having prepared for these holidays before, as perhaps I should have.
