Friday, March 30, 2007

Chag HaAviv: A Time of New Beginnings

Pesach is upon us once again, and this year, I’m feeling even more joyous than usual. Everywhere I go these days, I am reminded that it’s spring: the blue skies, sunny weather, and the feeling of freshness that pervades the air. It is a time of new beginnings, a time when what seemed dead in the winter suddenly sprouts new life.

Right now, I am home for the weekend, before my family jet-sets to sunny LA for Pesach on Monday. Though it is not overly warm here, the sun shines, and outside my window our cherry tree is covered with small pink blossoms. On a personal note, I lately completed a project that had been occupying the majority of my time for a while, and am embarking on another new beginning even more exciting than the last.

Pesach also signifies a new beginning for the Jewish People. It marks our emergence as a nation, our departure from slavery into freedom—an entirely new start filled with endless possibility.

A close friend of mine always uses Pesach as an opportunity for reflection. Before Pesach she creates her own mini-Yom Kippur, a midyear checkpoint, and examines her progress over the year, noting areas that could use improvement. I think this is a fantastic idea, as anytime is a good time for introspection. But to me, a Pesach checkup feels different than an Elul one. During Elul, resolutions (for me anyway) are mainly marked by regret and sense of inadequacy. However, now it is springtime. The season itself inspires hope, and my self-reflection is infused with a feeling of endless possibility and optimism. It is a time of new beginnings, and no task is too great to achieve.

So this Pesach, I wish you all a chag kasher v'sameach, a chag in which we all embrace the season, leap at a new start, and remember that we each have the potential to reach our highest goals. Have a spectabulous Pesach, everyone!

13 comments:

Erachet said...

Chag sameach!!!

Northern Light said...

Nothing makes me happier than to hear your joyous words and spend this rejuvenating holiday with you...A time for family connections that are so precious...

Moshe said...

"and am embarking on another new beginning even more exciting than the last"
Another play? Showcase? What? Oh, the suspense.

Yes, SJ. The spring -- and pesach in particular -- has always been a happy time for me. The sun makes me smile. The soft soothing breeze makes my breathing easier. Pesach has always been the holiday of transformation for me. I leave NY for a warmer climate and when I return the weather in NY seems to have improved. Yes, a holiday of transformation: from slavery to freedom, from sadness to happiness, from the end of a cold negative winter to the beginning of warm positive spring. A time for new happy beginnings. Yay!

Chana said...

Oh, I love cherry trees! We have magnolia trees here (not that I've seen any yet) and the blossoms make me happy.

I am dying to go to a PARK...guess it'll have to wait...but oh, how I wish I could find swings!

Chag Sameach! Happiness, happiness! :D

Anonymous said...

Awww...joy and frabjuosity! You should bottle up your happiness and market it! :-)

And there's not much better than coming home to find that spring is everywhere, and you have a whole selection of every type of tree imaginable from which to make the Nisan tree bracha. Spring comes too late back east, methinks!

SJ said...

Erachet - thanks, you too!

Northern Light - hoorah for sunny Pesachs together!

Moshe - as always, the lack of sarcasm is appreciated. Pesach...antsy?

Chana - pretty trees and swings and parks! Enjoy! Chag sameach dearest!

Jackie - once happiness turns commercial, forget it. But hooray for special brachot!

Chana said...

Jackie! Frabjous! Jabberwocky! Ack!

(You understand the coherence there.) :D

And happy Pesach to all, especially SJ, of course, as she's hostess of the blog. :D

Erachet said...

Jackie - Yes, I just wanted to shout out, "Oh Frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

Ezzie said...

A beautiful post, and I hope you have a truly wonderful Pesach. :) Regards to all...

M.R. said...

If we're saying "frabjuosity" and being happy, can we say "GALOSHES" also? (Halevai it would be "a bit sunny out for galoshes," but whatevs...)
Macadamia!

SJ said...

My post has been hijacked by funny word people! Hoorah!

M.R. said...

um, speaking of being hijacked by funny word people...

http://www.ferin.com/words.mp3/

Erachet said...

Yay for funny words! Did you know that to 'neologize' means to make up new words or to make up new meanings to already existing words? Wouldn't it be so cool to neologize a word and have it be in the dictionary?