It’s Hanukkah, but I haven’t felt like celebrating. I missed out on office lunches, dinners, parties and even White Elephant gift exchanges. Even worse, I hardly have noticed the holiday season at all. I’ve been distracted. I resigned from my job a few weeks ago and have been focused on transitioning my job responsibilities to others. On top of that, my aunt passed away last week and the entire family has been mourning our loss.
So, I’ve been justifiably in a certified funk.
The story of Hanukkah, however, was able to cut through the fog and remind me of three important things.
- Life is a struggle; a battle. It’s not easy nor is it predictable. Sometimes you’re convinced that you’re the underdog. Other times you feel overwhelmed or under attack. You can overcome mighty negative forces, however, if you whole-heartedly fight for your beliefs and ideals. The Maccabees successfully fought the strong Syrian-Greek army – opposing the influences of Hellenism, Secularism, and Hedonism – to preserve their Jewish heritage, culture, and faith.
- Life can be messy. But you can clean up, put things in good working order, and pursue a new – and perhaps better – path with gusto. After the enemy was defeated, the Jews got busy cleaning the Temple. They enthusiastically embraced the effort and rededicated the sanctuary – and themselves – to Jewish practices.
- Miracles can happen. When you don’t expect it or even believe it can happen, life can surprise you. One small cruse of oil – that should’ve only lasted for one day – actually burned for eight days. If you have self-reliance and trust in yourself, new opportunities and possibilities will surely come your way.
So this is my last blog post of the year. I’m not going to lie…I am grateful to turn the page and close the book on 2016. For numerous reasons, it was a challenging twelve months and I’m happy to put them behind me.
The future promises to be better and brighter. Clinging to my values, experiences, and vision of what’s possible, I confidently will embrace any new adventures that 2017 may bring my way.
Here’s to wishing us all health, luck, peace and love in the New Year. Of course, a little miracle wouldn’t hurt either…
Through Jewish Eyes 