Queens Jewish Link
Connecting the Queens Jewish Community 
Have you ever come across an unflattering media post about you? Before social media, you could just completely forget that someone existed. Good times. You accidentally found out some so-called friends were talking harshly about you behind your back. Listen, you don’t have haters. They’re just fans in denial. Your boss just read you the riot act – again. Tell your boss what you think of him, and the truth shall set you free – from your job, that is.
Think less about things that are wise not to care about. No need to renounce the world, but know how limited your influence is in certain areas. You will be undisturbed if you focus on tasks that you can achieve. So please, zero in on goals that matter to you.
None of us wish to expose the tender parts of ourselves to an unpleasant, unsympathetic critic. It may just result in severe ridicule or even humiliation. Up close, not one of us is even close to perfection. We pull the “Push” door sign. Sure, everyone has the right to do stupid things, but sometimes we abuse that privilege. Hey, in politics, stupidity is not even a handicap. But seriously, we have episodes of anger and self-pity and are not exactly reliably remarkable.
Your car broke down, and your two-year-old had his unending scheduled tantrum this morning. “Check engine”? Yup, it’s still there. Listen, my car broke down. Instead of AAA, I called A.A. by mistake. They could only move my car 12 steps.
Your body will eventually fall prey to the insults of aging. Listen, I just bought a new pair of shoes with memory foam insoles – no more forgetting why I walked into the kitchen. But truly, your career may not be as particularly fulfilling as you had hoped, and some of your biggest dreams could have been fatally crushed. Political progress and peace on earth look laughably improbable at this time.
What do the events of your life mean to you? Can you accept the reality for the sometimes truly sad thing that life is? At times, we need to allow for some dark truths about existence. Life can feel like a sequence of disappointments every so often. You had a misunderstanding with a loved one. You may be grieving a horrific loss. You have even endured a catastrophe.
