In the midst of baseball playoff fever in the DC area, our Rabbi, Michael Feshbach, talked about baseball and used it as a metaphor last night at Yom Kippur services. He said in the quest to do good, sometimes people try to swing for the fences and fix everything at once. Most often, however, trying to fix personal mistakes or doing Tikun Olam (healing the world) involves small steps, small ball, or hitting singles...doing things that are more attainable. If you can keep hitting singles and moving the line, hopefully the smaller actions build up. Though tempting, it is often futile to do everlasting good with one home run swing and fix everything. You just cant do that...other injusices will occur that wont be fixed by that one homer, even if it is a grand slam. It takes the singles year after year to make progress. Reflecting on my own actions the last year, I think that my work life consists of singles and helping to build homes 5, 10, and 20 units a time for low- and moderate-income people. I also think I dont manipulate folks at the workplace or try to get one over anyone. I think the harder thing than work is the family life. You live in such close proximity with your loved ones every day that the sharp word or inpatient action is sometimes too easy. I have tried hard over the years to be the best husband and father that I can be...I hope mostly succeeding but sometimes failing. I mentioned all of this to my family yesterday, and I think the act of confession is the first step to continually seeking improvement, hitting those singles, and being the best father and husband possible.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 04:50:41 +0000
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