Small Steps to Destiny - October 15, 2010

Shabbat Shalom!

Every day is like a journey,
From the moment we wake up
As we address the tasks that await us
And connect with people in the various
parts of our lives.
We may not feel we are on one mission alone
When we take care of a variety of responsibilities,
Sometimes with a compartmentalized approach.
It is likely that the whole – our complete identity –
Is the sum of the parts –
what we do and who we are, wherever we are.
In the Torah reading for this week,
Abram received his call:
“Go forth, for your benefit, from your native land,
From your ancestral home, to the place that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you.
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
All of those promises were not going to be fulfilled in one day.
Every day would bring Abram a step closer
to their fulfillment.
The process of Abram’s departure appears to be
Physical and geographical
But it can also be seen as spiritual,
For at the heart of leaving one’s home or a familiar place
Are emotions of courage, uncertainty, determination and hope.
Every day carries with it those emotions,
For even when we are in the same place,
We are still growing, changing, moving forward,
And responding to a call to try to be as good as we can be
And to be a blessing.
May we see each day as if we are Abram and Sarai
Called and challenged to take steps toward a destiny
That will enable us to discover who we are and where we belong.

L’shalom,
Rabbi Larry