When winter storm Jonas ripped across New York last weekend, it was declared the 2nd biggest snowstorm in the city's history.
At the height of the storm, Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency. Mass transit was largely shut down, Broadway shows went dark, and New Yorkers huddled indoors as 55-mph gusts howled outside.
Truthfully, I was not expecting such a blizzard. Having lived here for many years, I have become accustomed to weather predictions which are rarely fulfilled. And so, last week I walked to shul with my kids as I do every Shabbat morning. Boy was I surprised when I stepped outside and saw just how much snow there was!
I immediately realized this was a serious storm, and there was no way my 2-year-old daughter was going to make it, so I took her back home. My older kids were excited to brave the storm and make the short trek.
And so, we walked.
For me, the snow was an inconvenience; for my kids it was sheer pleasure.
I hated it. My kids loved it.
I tried to avoid walking in the snow as much as possible. My kids fully embraced the piles of fluffy snow.
While I tried to keep to the sidewalks where the snow had already been cleared, my kids walked on top of every pile.
Where I tried to walk in the footsteps that others had already made, my kids wanted to create their own.
I arrived at shul damp and miserable, but my children arrived drenched and ecstatic.
Along the way, I learned a number of important lessons from my uninhibited children.
1. When life throws you hurdles, enjoy the experience.
2. Sometimes the solution is not to avoid the problem but to embrace it.
3. Don’t be too set in your ways. Try forging new paths.
4. As the Rebbe Maharash, the fourth Chabad Rebbe, used to say, “When you have a problem, don’t go around it, just jump over it! Lechatchila Ariber!"
5. When you're truly committed to something, even a blizzard can't stop you.
6. Listen to weather reports, but don't treat them as G-d's word. He is the final authority.
7. One person's misery is another's enjoyment. Try to change your perspective.
8. Things often turn out better than we expect.
9. When faced with anything outside the ordinary, use the opportunity to learn something new about yourself and your service of G-d. Looking for the G-dly lessons in our daily lives will surely make us better people.
“Rabbi, are you crazy? How many kids do you have?”
Tens of millions of Americans work up this morning with their dreams shattered. Just yesterday we were all conjuring up images of what life would look like with 1.5 billion dollars: the mansions we would buy, kitchens we would decorate, and charity we would give…the vacations we would take and the cars we can only dream of…early retirement and living the beach life…eternal bliss and happiness… We could picture it all.
As I left my apartment one day this week, I bumped into my next-door neighbor with his brand new puppy, Winter. We chatted a while, and I asked if I could introduce Winter to my kids. He agreed and I brought Winter inside.