If I Could Be Anybody at All, Who Would I Be?

If I Could Be Anybody at All, Who Would I Be?

We Rabbi Nivinites/Nivin-ettes are scrambling around at this very moment finishing up our Elul plans, our list of goals for the almost-here, new Jewish year. Rough drafts are supposed to be ready by tomorrow, Tuesday, the 25th of Elul, the anniversary of the Creation of the World.
I’ve made a lot of progress, but I’ve been drawing a blank regarding my yearly direction–the guiding direction for the year which could improve my life in many areas. And then, this morning, my friend told me about a getting-in-touch-with-my-dreams exercise which really helped.
Here it is: Imagine you could live anywhere, dress any way you want, live any way you want, what would you choose? So this morning, waiting (and waiting) in the dermatologist’s waiting room, I thought about these questions. And here’s what I wrote up:
“The woman I would be if I could: I would wear colorful, flowing Indian headscarves and clothing. I would be down to earth, and otherworldly. Spiritual and smart. Learning, creating. Deep. Real. Wise. Not conventional, yet normal. Deeply connected to Hashem.”
The next stage of the exercise is thinking of ways to reconcile this vision with the realities of my actual life.
So I thought of all sorts of colorful places this colorful person I dream of being would live. But I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather live than where I live now. So it looks like I’ll be staying put.
I like the way flowing Indian headscarves look, but not how they feel or how long they take to put on. And flowing Indian clothing? Hmm, I’ll have to think about that one.
The rest of the stuff I wrote? I could work on that.
So, with a rush of excitement, I opened up my google docs file titled “Elul Plan 5780” and under yearly direction, I wrote down: Being and living a life that is a bit more colorful.
Ahh, that felt good! Did I ever mention how much I love Elul?

2 comments

  1. 5780 😉! Love what you wrote.

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