The Dreidel

Someone sent this to me and I want to share it with you. 

The dreidel has an important message. It spins and when it falls we can only see the one upper side of the dreidel. 

Life seems to be spinning and we are sometimes caught up in a whirlwind. We have to remember that just as when the dreidel falls, we can only see one side of it, so too in life we can never see the full view. With our very limited vision we can only see and perceive one angle, but we know there is far more than meets the eye and that Hashem always has a master plan. There is far more to the picture than we can see, so we put our faith in Hashem. We know and believe He is the One who turns the wheel of life and He Who creates and can see the whole picture can perform for us Nissim which to us with our limited vision may seem impossible.

So if things is life don't seem to be falling on Gimmel, DON'T GIVE UP - the One Who keeps the world spinning can also spin miracles - בימים ההם בזמן הזה.

Always A Plan

We all want to understand. We want answers. Yet, things are not always so clear.

Some days, things go the way we want them to. Little annoyances crop up, but we deal with them.

Other times, things don't go the way we'd like. We turn to Hashem and ask, "Why?" Sometimes it is easy to remember Hashem when He is making things difficult for us. Challenges remind us that He is in charge.

Yet, we don't understand.

What to do? 

How do we get through challenges, both big and small?

One thing that helps me through tough times is reminding myself that Hashem has a plan. There is a reason why I have to have this specific inconvenience. There's a reason why I have to deal with this frustration at this time. There is a reason for the big stuff too. Hashem knows why. I don't. 

There's something comforting in that thought. It helps to know that the One Who created me decided that at this moment, I should be in this place, going through this experience. There's a reason. This is exactly where I am meant to be.

Even if I don't understand. Even if it doesn't make sense. Even if I wish things were different. Hashem knows why. 

And...He put me here for my own good. There is some way that I can benefit from this specific situation. Maybe I can work on a certain character flaw, maybe I need to learn something deeper, maybe I need to be knocked down so I can climb up. Maybe I need to need so I can learn to give when my cup is full. Maybe I need to feel this feeling so I can become more caring towards others. Maybe this is an atonement for things I did that I don't remember but G-d above doesn't forget.

I don't know Hashem's reasons. But I know He has a reason for each and every thing He puts me through. 

The same God who watches over every insect and animal is watching over me. The same One who makes the rain fall and the trees grow, the same One who keeps my heart pumping and my body functioning, the One who gives me koach when I need it most, He is the God who plans my life. And if I believe that there is a purpose to the existence of every creature He put into this world, I believe that I have a purpose too. 

I may not discover it just yet. But I know that every step of my life is leading me towards that purpose. 

May we all be able to live our lives with meaning and strengthen our trust in Hashem so we can achieve true, inner happiness.