Living the Sweet Life

Reflect. Repent. Rejuvenate. Renew. That’s what Rosh Hashana and the Days of Awe are all about.

5784 is fast approaching, and it’s time to reflect on the current year. For me, 5783 has gone by quickly and the days are a blur. The year was filled with caregiving, work, school, horse shows, family trips, gardening, and the routines of daily life. During this year, my daughter completed middle school and started high school, my eldest and dear uncle passed away, and we welcomed Jax (equine) into the family affair. The pace has been fast and furious, and I'm exhausted.

Rosh Hashana celebrates G-d’s creation of the world. We pray. We contemplate. We celebrate. We eat apples and honey, round Challah with raisins, babka, pomegranate passion cake, and other sweet treats as symbols of living a sweet life. We wish each other a sweet new year and we tell ourselves we’ll try harder in the coming year.

I always wonder what “try harder” really means. Does it mean setting goals we may not achieve? Does it mean doing more? Does it mean spending more time when we have so little already? Is trying harder really the answer?

We know that Rosh Hashanah and the succeeding Days of Awe challenge us to forgive ourselves for transgressions and start fresh. We commit to making new and better relationships. We pledge to be more kind to ourselves and others. We create space for study and learning. We ask ourselves to let go of grudges. We seek clarity in chaos. And the list goes on. These are righteous goals, but for someone who is tired, I’m not sure trying harder is the right response.

What if we stop trying harder and accept life as it is? What if we rid ourselves of all the pledges and promises, and simply enjoy what’s in front of us? What if we wake up every day and simply thank G-d we’re alive? What if we celebrate the best version of ourselves in that moment without any added expectations?

Instead of trying harder, what if we enjoy the blessing of our sweet life – a life where we find humor and pleasure in our routine, where we follow whims without evaluation, where we discover new ambitions simply by living in the present—a life that is not over-orchestrated and not constantly evaluated. What if we uncommit ourselves to certain things getting in our way? Why deal with the stress and anxiety of trying harder when a better answer might be to simply live the sweet life we have.

Yes, Rosh Hashana is a serious holiday. But – sometimes the best way to experience the miracles around us is to not take life so seriously. If we lighten up a bit, perhaps we will discover the blessing of a sweet life.

In the words of Baal Shem Tov, “The world is new to us every morning – and every (wo)man should believe (s)he is reborn each day.” I like the idea of being reborn each day. It gives me hope that the new year can be lived one day at a time and not be over planned. Perhaps this is the first step in living the sweet life.

Shana Tova U'Metukah. I wish you a good and sweet year.