About three years ago this past June, I started an adventure called blogging. Among those original blogs I had an installment titled How Long Until? It was all about a game I used to play a lot when I was younger, dreaming about my future and then less often as I began to live my future. It would still pop up every now and again, but as my husband has reminded me often, we can plan for the future, but be sure to live in the present.
This past month we had a fast forward to our future. Here is the hold onto your hats part;) Our eldest son became a Chassan a few weeks ago! Hence the radio silence for the last month or two. BH we are very excited to welcome his Kallah into our family!
The reason I bring up the How Long Until game is because, frankly, we hadn’t played this version of the game much yet! How long until we are planning a wedding and marrying off a child? Wasn’t I just playing how long until I find my bashert and get engaged and married and live happily ever after? Well to be honest, it wasn’t that long ago!
In April of the same year I started this blog, I wrote a Morris Family Vision Statement. I highly recommend you taking the time to write one for your own families:)
If you will allow me to indulge for a moment, I would like to share with you this vision statement I wrote for our family back in April of 2018:
Our vision for our family is to raise our children as healthy, strong, spiritual Jews who are connected to HaShem, and see beyond themselves in order to help others. Our vision is that our children find value as actively engaged contributors to their greater community. Our vision is that our children have and access a strong inner compass and successfully allow in good and beneficial influences while filtering out bad and detrimental influences. Our vision is that our children grow in fear of HaShem and love of learning His Torah and doing His Mitzvos. Our vision is to have a warm, loving and caring home where each child feels loved, cared for and precious and important. Our vision is that each child be passionate and successful in what they choose to do in life. Our vision is to have a healthy, close, loving and caring relationship with each of our children, and that it should continue and include their spouses when they marry. Our vision is that each child find their best Bashert in the right time and be Zocheh to have many healthy children and be Zocheh to build a Bayis Neeman B’Yisroel Im Siyata D’Shmaya Binyan Adei Ad. Our vision is that our children continue to grow and nurture the relationships between their siblings and value each other. Our vision is that our children love and care for each of their spouses and continually work on maintaining a loving and caring relationship and home. Our vision is that we as the parents continue to love and care for each other, always have the best interest in mind for the other and to continue to have Sipuk Nefesh and be successful in what we do in our lives. Our vision is to live in Israel together and be active Savtas and Zeidas who are close and engaged with our children and grandchildren. Our vision is that we live to see the day Mashiach comes and the world becomes the place HaShem wants it to be.
When I read through this vision statement, and I see so clearly all of the growth and development of our family through good and tough times, through thick and thin, I see so many blessings and so many Tefillos answered. And I cry. Because that is what I do when I am touched to the core of my being. It just spills out and flows over. I cry over the heartache we experienced at times and I cry over the joys we have been graciously blessed with.
I am in awe of all that has come to pass and I think of all of the troubles that we have weathered and joys we have shared in. Life isn’t always a bed of flowers. Sometimes I think people look at me and my family and think we have no worries, but we are normal human beings with feelings and emotions, challenges and struggles like every other person.
We choose to rise with Simcha, Bitachon and Emunah to the best of our abilities, even in the darkest of moments.
We try our best to have the clarity and presence of mind to see all of the blessings we have, even amidst the difficulties.
What amazes me also, is the visions in our vision statement that have yet to come. As we have seen so much good, we daven that Hashem continue to be with us, holding our hands and leading us the way he wants us to go in order to fulfill His vision for us.
Being present everyday is one of my mantras and I try to do my best to act on it. Our son video called me a few days before the engagement to go over his plan. The timing would be a surprise for his Kallah;) As I was listening to him, I was enjoying his enthusiasm and then it dawned on me. Wait! Your son is telling you about his plan to propose to the woman he loves and wants to marry! Be present, with all of your being! Remember this moment! About 15 minutes after we hung up, our future daughter in law video chatted with me, as she wanted to show me the bridal gown she picked up at the Gemach. (The wedding is Bezras Hashem in August, so no time for the weary!) This time I was wide awake with presence. As she twirled around in her gown I snapped a screenshot of her in her gown. With permission of course! What special memories.
So how long until? Well, before you turn around and as fast as you can blink an eye. But whenever, your time comes, be present, capture the moments of your life in your mind’s eye to be remembered and cherished. Create a vision for your future, I know I have said this here before. You will be 50% more likely to accomplish your goals if you have a vision. The other 50%? Well that my friends are in the Hands of Hashem. Nothing is accomplished without His approval. Even when we daven and try our best. Ultimately, anything and everything that happens in this world is because Hashem wills it. So why bother with a vision statement and davening? Because like so many things in life, it is all about the relationship. Hashem wants to hear from us, He wants to connect with us, and He is here with us, every day, every step of the way.
Wishing everyone only Bracha, Hatzlocha and Simcha in good health for you and your families.