Enjoy The Moment

Enjoy The Moment A good friend of mine, Rabbi Yisrael Tzvi Serebrowski, is a rabbi in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He recently shared is simple but profound message with me. He told me that his Covid take away was to hit the pause button of life. To slow down, really pay attention and listen to people. Stop doing things by rote, instead be more deliberate and focused when it comes to mitzvahs, relationships and experiences. This message really resonated with me, and in light of its importance, I share with you the following ramble: It’s June, and for our family it means wedding season this year. We celebrate three weddings on the east coast this season: two nephews and a niece! Most recently this past weekend, my brother’s oldest son tied the knot with his bashert. We made the old East Coast road trip, leaving Cleveland Sunday morning and arriving in New Jersey in time for the celebration, then turning around the next morning and doing it all over again, this time traveling from east to west. With most of our family members living in the New York/New Jersey area, we have made this road trip too many times to count. We have come to recognize all of the rest areas and small towns dotting the I-80 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Places like Clarion, Bellafonte and Snowshoe, and others with more biblical names like Ephrata, and their respective mile markers and rest stop areas, have all become familiar to us over the years. These trips are long and can be quite arduous (those of you who have made the trip with smaller children know exactly what I’m talking about) but in light of my friend Rabbi Serebrowski’s Covid resolution, I share with you several personal highlights of our most recent trip. Number one is the trip itself. Driving through Pennsylvania can be quite monotonous, but it is also an opportunity to enjoy Hashem's scenic Appalachian mountain range. Behind one particular rest stop, there was a stream and a nature trail. I walked down to the stream and surrounded by this picturesque landscape, I recited the "Asher Yatzer" prayer for health and healing. It was one of the most meaningful prayers that I have recited. I enjoyed the people watching as well. From the motorcycle gang members with their cigarettes and inappropriate tattoos, to the people that I exchanged small talk with while waiting together on line at the Starbucks rest area, they are all part of the tapestry of human beings created in Hashem’s image. My family knows that I get really excited on these trips when we meet fellow Jewish travelers. My J-dar (Jewish radar) is always engaged and my Jewish spidey-sense really tingles when I meet fellow members of the tribe. This time we met a young family heading to South Bend, Indiana. We only exchanged about 50 words, but it was a really enjoyable interaction for us. Number two is the wedding itself. The highlight of the wedding for me was dancing with my close family members. I am hardly a graceful dancer, but seeing my parents sitting down on the edge of the dance floor, and holding hands with my siblings as we danced in front of them, was an extremely emotional experience for me. Watching my parents enjoy the nachas of their grandson‘s wedding, and feeling the love of my siblings as we embraced on the dance floor, was something special. Words cannot adequately describe these special feelings. I saw a wonderful quote: Live in the moment and enjoy the present. I resolve to try and do more of that. I’ll have plenty of practice to do that, because next weekend will be our niece’s wedding in New Jersey. It might not even pay to unpack! Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Koval