It's Time to WAKE UP (and hear the Shofar)!!

So early this morning I out was out for my jog having determined which route I would run today and about 15 minutes in I 'missed' the turn up a quieter street that I had planned. It was probably that incessant conversation going on in my head worrying about and planning for this and that. I chuckled as it is a pretty funny thing to do when you are out running...forgetting to turn!



I began thinking of this little error metaphorically as we are now running towards the High Holiday season. Yes, I can and do think about all kinds of things when I am running!  How simple it is to get lost in head rambles and conversations and not pay attention; after all the sound of the Shofar, the ram’s horn blown on Rosh Hashanah, is supposed to be our wake up call to be attentive in how we live our lives.  However as I am thinking these thoughts, the next call that I hear is a group of middle school students on their way to school with a string of expletives – long ones – short ones– long ones …tikiah … – blasting from their mouths. 



OK so I am awake at this point conversing with myself about how unacceptable such language is and what, as an adult I am to do about this.  As I pass them by, I ask them to watch their mouths and surprisingly receive a sincere apology in return!  It was a magical moment for me... Until the point, 10 minutes later, when I was not paying attention again and almost got hit by a car as I am running across the street (no cross-walk in sight)!!!

My challenge to and wish for all of us is to learn to sustain our sense of awareness in the world whether in our parenting (family and village parenting!!), work relationships, community or wider world.  Please share your own thoughts and strategies for addressing this.

 

One interpretation of the sounds of the Shofar:

Tekiah - one long, straight blast                       WHOLENESS
Shevarim - three medium, wailing sounds        BROKENESS
Teruah - 9 quick blasts in short succession       SHATTERDNESS

These are things we all feel at different times in our lives.  But at this time of the year, after experiencing pain, mistakes, loss, illness, failure, weakness, we are reminded that we can find wholeness again.