Hear Our Voice

This time of year, even and especially during this age of COVID, I find that people become a bit more nostalgic, perhaps a bit softer, reminiscing, observers of their lives. 

Ki hem chayeinu v’orech yameinu uvahem nehegeh yomam valailah.

For they are our life and the length of our days and we shall rejoice upon them each and every day and night. 

These words from Ahavat Olam remind us that we are the writers of the Torahs of our lives. Torahs?  Is that a type-o?  Maybe even heretical?  But think for a moment on the different chapters of your life, and how perhaps, from at least a close perspective, they don’t necessarily appear to be part of the story of a single protagonist.  Many of us have lived different lives in different places with different people.  Along the way, we develop different perspectives, different expectations, and different assumptions (unless of course, we have grown wise enough to not have any more of those at all!).  And in so doing, we become, God willing, better versions of ourselves.  One pop philosopher teaches, “If the you of 10 years ago wouldn’t recognize the you of today, you’re on the right path.” 

These are our lives and the length of our days – we are here to connect, to discover, to pursue curiosity and peace, in the goal of living well and with meaning, getting better at growing older, and keeping in mind and in heart, that the Torah of our lives is written by our hand.  Life may be filled with a myriad of “circumstances beyond our control,” but those parts of our lives are written in disappearing ink.  The only words that remain on the page are those we write ourselves.