Renewal of Power and Energy

So my Rabbi friend Yossi was awesome at D1 and S1's wedding.  The ceremony was beautiful and meaningful.  Even my lapsed Catholic friend Joel enjoyed it.

For the party, he stayed by the stairs, since he doesn't attend non kosher meals.  Still, I found out later he did a shot or two with friends who brought them to him.  What a guy.

Today he posted a video message for Rosh Hashonah, the Jewish New Year, which starts tomorrow.  He was inspiring.  He said that in the way Irma took our power, light, and energy, we must now INCREASE the power, light, and energy in our lives and community.  That really resonated with me.

Last night, Dr. Barry and I met.  We spent three hours and 4 martinis between us discussing our worlds, and solving problems.  He just came off a particularly stressful time -- in the midst of Irma, he was on service, meaning he was running the Peds ICU.  Of course, there was loss and tragedy, as there always is there.

But there was also re birth, and renewal.

We talked about winners versus losers.  We agree that winners find a way to win, and losers find a way to lose.

In a perfect world, there would be no sickness, and nothing to drag us down.  But of course there is -- winners seem to find a way to get past the blocks and challenges and still soar.

I have an acquaintance whose house, post Irma, looks pretty much like mine -- no structural damage, but trees down everywhere.  Sadly, he's using it as an excuse for not diving back into his work.  Instead, he was weeping about his financial challenges.  I tried to offer the advice of forget the house -- the dead trees will be just as dead in a few months.  Maybe focus on your career, and advance things there.

Nah.  First thing's first, to him.  Gotta get the yard cleaned up and THEN, maybe, get back to work.  In the meantime, it's easy to bemoan his fate.

One of my favorite sayings is instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.  My rockin Rabbi gets that.

We've been in the dark, literally.  Let this now be a time of brighter light, and even more energy and power.

As for my house -- I have a guy coming tomorrow to see if he can take on the job.  Rockin Rabbi would like me to be in shul.  I joked that the donation I gave him in honor of D1 and S1 buys me a pass this year.  So I'll do my usual High Holiday gig -- not go to the office out of respect for my tribe, but speak to the Big Man alone.

Regardless -- I hope the light and energy indeed increase, and the new year is a sweet and happy one.