A Dream Come True

After many years of dreaming of taking my family to the beautiful natural sites of the west, the dream came true!

Dena and I just got back from a 15 day road trip with all of the kids. The magnificence, beauty and wondrousness of each of the stops would have justified the trip unto itself. Combined together it becomes a thing that fantasy and fairy tales are made of.

Among the many fascinating sites (Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, The Grand Canyon to name a few) we also had wonderful experiences in the van traveling from State to State. Besides the different topographies, we also witnessed beautiful bright rainbows, various types of animals in the fields near the highway, cactus of all shapes and sizes and plants in colors that you just don’t see around.

One of the most amazing sites was the clouds. Clear skies speckled with strong white clouds of all shapes – sheep, bears to name a few. But across the wide open areas and amazing blue skies, off in the distance where the mountains rise up there is a dark cloud with a rain coming out of it. Boiling hot, dry, blue sky on top of us and a mere mile away rain!

The paradox was screaming from the skies, it may look like it’s shining but really it’s raining. It may look like it’s raining but really the sun is shining. Which one is it?

The answer depends on where your connection lies.

The Rebbe taught that vacation is a paradox; people leave home to connect with self and loved ones. So, to really connect with yourself, to relax and rejuvenate with your core, to connect with your spouse and children you must leave behind the materialism of home and venture away. The more we engage in the material world the more difficult it is to connect with self. The more we disengage the more we are able to connect with our essence.

Our trip came to a close on the first day of Elul, the final month of the Jewish calendar. The month where we take stock of our accomplishments and shortcomings of the prior year in preparation for the holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

A practice among Jews during this month is to take a break. Not a cruise or a vacation but a little break. Work a little less, pray and study a little more and take the time, real time to reflect and meditate on your self, your real self and your purpose on this earth.

A paradox? Perhaps, but isn’t all of life?

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