Back by popular demand, here is a moment to get over ourselves, remember to add something positive to the world, and realize we cannot control everything in our lives all of the time. Even G-d stopped to appreciate what He had done.
It is our call as humans to be G-dlike. This does not mean that we are to believe we are G-d, but to emulate those attributes of the Lord that we are able to as humans. To make the right decisions, be holy, and appreciate what we create, and what is created for us. In our increasingly hectic lives this might seem like an impossible task. Especially when it comes to those things we consider insignificant and mundane. We do so to our own demise!
In our daily rush, we must not dismiss the mundane, and the seemingly unimportant, but instead realize that everything and every act is as it was designed to be, all part of His plan, and all miracles. From the stubbed toe, to the restroom, to the big business deal, to the conflict with our spouse, to how we treat our family, spouses, friends, and enemies, to even what we type on this blog. (see below the fold an amazing article on appreciating the mundane, and bringing meaning to your every moment)
Fitting then that this Sunday is Mother’s Day, because who transforms the supposedly mundane into the holy and brilliant more often, and more humbly than our mothers and our wives? Their acts for our children, for their men, and around our homes usually go unnoticed as “mundane” everyday necessities, yet it is these acts which transform our world more than anything else.
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By the time the Almighty made mothers, he was into His sixth day and working overtime. An Angel appeared and said “Why are You spending so much time on this one?”
And the Almighty answered and said, “Have you seen the spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have 200 movable parts, all replaceable, run on black coffee and leftovers, have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart, and have six pairs of hands.” The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. “Six pairs of hands! No Way!” said the Angel.
The Almighty replied, “Oh, it’s not the hands that are the problem. It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!” “And that’s just on the standard model?” the Angel asked.
The Almighty responded, “Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing, even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word.”
The Angel tried to stop the Almighty. “This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish.”
“But I can’t!” the Almighty protested, “I am so close to finishing this creation; it’s so close to my own heart.
The Angel moved closer and touched the woman. “But you have made her so soft, Almighty.”
“She is soft,” the Almighty agreed, “but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish.”
“Will she be able to think?” asked the Angel.
The Almighty replied, “Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate.”
The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman’s cheek. “Oops, it looks like you have a leak with this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one.”
“That’s not a leak”, the Almighty objected, “That’s a tear!”
“What’s the tear for?” the Angel asked.
The Almighty said, “The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride.”
The Angel was impressed. “You are a genius, Almighty. You thought of everything. WOMEN are truly amazing!”
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To those that celebrate, have a wonderful and meaningful Shabbat! To those who do not, have a great weekend, and Mother’s Day. Appreciate what you have, and what your mothers and wives add to your life -they are truly Women of Valor. This weekend, take some time off to contemplate and fully appreciate it! (Telling them how much you appreciate it wouldn’t hurt either)
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