May. I have patience?

77% Weekly Newsletter

May. I have patience?

Beloved, It’s May. Which is, pardon the bad pun, A-may-zing. The calendar seems to have flipped from March to May instantly. Time flies like an arrow. (And pardon the dad joke: fruit flies like bananas.) — All minutes (or any other quantity of time) are not the same length. Some time passes quickly. Some slowly. Zall’s second law: “HOW LONG A MINUTE IS DEPENDS ON WHICH SIDE OF THE BATHROOM DOOR YOU’RE ON.” — And. Time does not pass on my schedule. — I don’t publish an article on the last Monday of the month to remind us that 77% is often enough, and pushing ourselves constantly to strive for perfection is deleterious to our souls. And a tradition started this year: the first article of the month is a chatty one. So here we are, chatting about time and patience. — I really thought I’d have the book done and in your hands by now. But the launch is happening on its schedule. Which isn’t the same as the schedule I had in mind. And, that dissonance can lead to frustration. So, I practice patience. — It’s hard to stay patient. But what choice do I have? Suffer with being frustrated? — I’m learning to talk compassionately to myself—as I would to a 10-year old—acknowledging that the thing I want is not happening (or going to happen on my timeline) and reminding myself that it’s OK to feel frustrated. — I’m frustrated that the book isn’t yet in your hands. — Happy May! 💙rB Rabbi Brian Zachary May-er

Refractory Anxiety

I am supposed to arrive at the wedding rehearsal at 4 p.m. I planned on arriving 15–20 minutes early. Because I don’t like being late. However, I took a wrong turn. At the intersection of the I-5 South and the I-405 South, I went the wrong way. Now, I’ll have to turn around in a mile and a half and

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No words. No words.

To offset our discomfort about our upcoming visit to the Terezín (in German: Theresienstadt) concentration camp/ghetto, Emmett and I fall into making dark jokes. Gallows humor. “Do you think they still give free tattoos upon arrival?” “Want to wear matching pajamas for our tour?” Dark, ugly jokes.  Because reality is just too overwhelming. The feelings are too overwhelming. So we

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Has anyone seen my keys?!

Jane and the kids misplace keys. Not me. I don’t. I always return my key to the keyrack. That’s where they go. When the key isn’t on the hook, which happens from time to time, I find it on some surface in the house. Usually, the kitchen table. Then, without fanfare, I pick it up, hang it up, and restrain

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77% Weekly Newsletter
77% Weekly Newsletter