Choices
- Leann Shamash
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
Parshat Re'eh, another important summer parshah, begins with command "See." See the blessings, see the curses and make a choice.
Our lives are filled with choices. This week's post encourages us to reflect upon choices we have made and choices yet to come. I believe that it also asks us to appreciate that choices we make differ according to age, demographics and the situation we are born into. It is with that appreciation of differences that I write this post.
Each parsha of the year contains themes for us to contemplate as we head toward Shabbat.
This year I thought about choices, but for the past few years I have concentrated more on the command to see. You can read about seeing in these posts:
Speaking of choices, I am grateful that you have chosen to open this post and read these words. I hope that as a result you will enter into Parshat Re'eh, one of the parshiyot leading toward The Yamim Noraim, to reflect on the concept of choices we make each and every day, each and every year and where those choices have brought us.
With appreciation and a Shabbat Shalom,
Leann
Choices stack like building blocks,
one atop the next.
The tower grows higher and higher.
One never knows when a choice will topple the tower,
or raise it gloriously to the sky.
We drive onto the onramp of making choices,
sometimes ready, sometimes not,
as we cultivate
the fine art of choosing.
Little choices,
Which sport?
Which instrument?
Which books?
Which team?
Which friends?
Choices follow us through days,
months,
years...
The brands we buy,
the shows we watch,
our role models.
What we choose to remember
or forget.
We have the choice
to read that book,
eat that food,
to put down the phone,
to be kind,
to be relentless in our pursuits,
to think big or think small.
Other choices,
linger longer
their effects felt for years.
The schools we choose,
the news we read.
Where we invest our time,
our money.
We choose careers,
partners and friends,
the communities we live in.
We choose how we choose to help.
The candidates we support.
Where we stand.
It's a choice as to how we see the world.
It's a choice to step forward or turn away.
To go through that door or forever to stand behind it.
The Truth is
choices are hard to make.
They aren’t always crystal clear and
sometimes they’re not popular.
The road to making choices is clouded,
bordered with doubts.
Each doubt an opportunity to rethink,
reconsider.
Sometimes
choices land you with others,
there is comfort in the group,
but sometime you’re standing all alone
and alone can be a lonely place.
Then there are choices that aren’t really choices at all.
Choices made with your back up against the wall or worse.
There are some choices that are impossible to make.
These are the choices that keep you up at night.
Sometimes there are no answers.
At the end of the day, it’s about living with your choices.
We all have a sprinkling of good choices and bad choices,
but through each of them,
try not to doubt yourself.
Stand tall and may your tower of choices reach to the sunlight.
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