Morning Sickness, Jewish Style
As you know, my After-the-Chagim to-do list is approximately the length of the Great Wall of China.
And I was planning to get through a significant chunk of it this week…
And then, half way up the mountain of Chol HaMoed laundry, our washing machine came to a screeching halt. B”H it’s under warranty (but the part they need to fix it is currently unavailable…)
And then my phone broke. So I bought a new one. Until that one broke too.
And then I had to take 2 sons within 12 hours to the emergency medical center for small cuts on a 6-year-old forehead and 3-year-old tongue (both are now well thanks to some glue, and strawberry-ice-cream).
And I feel like, with the Chagim behind me, and the kids back in school, I am ready to begin the Tour de France, only to discover, this week, that I’m spinning my wheels on an exercise bike.
Here’s a thought I was thinking this morning while in the waiting room of the emergency clinic with Yoni which took the edge off my frustration…
The Arizal compared the months between Succot and Passover to a pregnancy for the Jewish people. Conception took place on Shemini Atseret, and right now we are at the beginning of the 1st trimester.
Rabbi Nivin reminded us that when a woman is in her 1st trimester, she generally feels nauseous, exhausted, moody. The pregnancy isn’t showing yet, so while she feels very pregnant, she has nothing yet to show for it…
Like she’s spinning her wheels on an exercise bike. Stuck in the same corner of her basement that she was half an hour ago.
But all that nausea and exhaustion and misery are leading up to the greatest miracle of human existence: a sperm and an egg becoming a talking, thinking, dreaming human being.
So I’m praying this means that this spinning-my-wheels start to 5779 will, also, lead up to the arrival of a blessed bouncing baby year. Bshaah tova:)
Amen and I hope the same for my tough beginning of the year too(!). – Having a large family kh, and having had our rented house sold, with no other available homes to move to. May we all have an easy “pregnancy” and share simchas soon!
amen!
I searched “morning sickness” on your blog just to find something inspiring to read and I got this very timely post. It was like it was meant for me in so many ways. Thanks for much!!