Living Each Day
Josh Pastner is the head men's basketball coach at Georgia Tech Athletic Association.
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, culminating with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, are wonderful Jewish holidays. The question that needs to be asked: Can we live each day as an opportunity, a new year so to speak, a new opportunity, as opposed to waiting for this one day, one holiday of the year to ask for atonement and forgiveness, and to make amends? Can we take this yearly message and put it in our hearts daily? Are we able to have the awareness of our thinking and thoughts, which many times is the real enemy?
And when that point of our shortcomings arises, those of the mind of greed, envy, jealousy, judging, gossiping, big-shotism, self-pity, false pride, criticism, and condemnation of others take hold of us, can we be aware to ask for forgiveness and make amends immediately? Being able and willing to correct our course that exact moment, within the day, and letting go of resentments, is a real, true victory. Can we, as humans, be conscious enough daily, by not attaching and holding on to or creating anger and negative energy towards others, and then waiting a full year for this wonderful holiday to make amends and atone? Yes, this holiday is important to remind us of our daily responsibilities.
Yet, it is easy to blame and say what is wrong with the world and with others.
However, can each one of us be responsible for this wonderful gift of life, for today? To see the goodness of life and extend that to all we meet. With a smile. With encouragement. By being kind and a generous listener of others. To be understanding, as opposed to being judgmental. Understanding that all human beings make mistakes. To let our Creator be in charge as He has the final say.
Thus, on this wonderful Jewish holiday, can we look deeper and make each day a new year, and each day a day of atonement and transformation into a positive way of being and living?
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