My Daughter’s Rocky 1st Day at Camp (3-Minute Mommy Peptalk)
Keeping the faith under challenging circumstances.
My teenage daughter started a new summer program today. I had heard from a friend that it is an incredible camp and her daughter loved it. It cost a lot of money. But if it’s that incredible, I thought, I’d sign her up.
And then, this morning, at 8:30 AM my daughter sent me the following text message:
“Eema, I do not know anybody here. This is so embarrassing!”
And then, at 9 AM, she sent:
“Eema, this is terrible. I feel like I totally don’t belong!”
“Everybody knows each other here except me!”
At that point I called the camp director but there was no answer. And I was hoping I would be able to get back all the money I paid.
And then at 10 AM I got another text message from my daughter. The last one I’ve gotten from her today, which read: “Eema, this camp is amaaaaazing fun!”
So that’s a cute story, with a happy ending. But it’s just an introduction to what I really want to talk about, which is a REAL challenge I’m facing.This is the kind of thing that could make my life very very difficult unless I figure out a solution.
After I found out about my big problem this past Wednesday, I was feeling panicky until I heard the following story from Rabbi Fischel Schachter, which has been making me feel remarkably calm considering that I’m facing a very challenge challenge.
Rabbi Schachter said that once he was speaking to a man who had just been fired, but he didn’t seem so upset. He told Rabbi Schachter: “There is a Boss of all bosses. That means, I didn’t get fired, the Boss of all bosses is just transferring me to a different job. I’ve been through this already once or twice in my life. And I know, if a person believes he has just one boss, he can get fired. But if he believes there is a Boss of all bosses, he can never got fired, just transferred. Maybe even promoted.”
The Alter of Novardok would ask what’s the difference between the words “Shalva” and “Shalom.” Both words mean peace or tranquility. But Shalva means that everything works out exactly how I want it to. And Shalom means that things do not work out how I wanted. But I’m making it work, anyway.
I read another beautiful thought that is also helping me out right now, I read it in the newly released book of Ora Rivka Weingort “Bina L’Itim.” (Hebrew) Rabbanit Ora Rivka writes that when missiles are falling, as they were when she was writing this book, we enter a bomb shelter for safety. But even when actual missiles aren’t falling, she writes, life bombards us constantly. We can often feel that life is closing in on us. And to regain balance we must turn inward into our own internal, virtual bomb shelter.
And just like a real bomb shelter made of concrete, or any room for that matter, our internal safe space has 6 sides, representing the 6 constant mitzvot. To enter your virtual safe space, visualize being surrounded by Hashem: Hashem lifting you up, that everything that happens is from Him, even the smallest details of your life, and feel the warmth of His love for you, and that you never want to be cut off from Him.On all 6 sides, we are completely surrounded by Hashem, Hashem, Hashem.
When we can create this inner virtual bomb shelter, this inner tabernacle, no missiles or bombardment can threaten our feeling of peace, of deep, comforting Shalom.
Have a great week!
May you continue to feel surrounded by HaShem as you face this challenge. You have a community of women cheering you on.
thank you, that feels good!
such an important lesson – only one Boss! thanks for sharing this priceless piece of wisdom
I got a big chizuk from your lesson
thank you so much!
I’m happy to hear!
How do you and keep on writing, inspiring and connecting with all of us Jewishmoms while your going through such a diffucult challange? Im asking so i can try to learn from you.
that is so sweet of you! inspiring other moms is what keeps me inspired and happy! It picks me up!