Walking in downtown Philadelphia earlier in the week I walked past the library. There was a statue of William Shakespeare with a quote “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.”
As a busy mom I so often feel this. My family is a stage and we all have our roles we play. The words “merely players” suggests we have no control and we just get swept along. While drowning in email overload, work obligations, simchas, homework and more, it’s easy to feel like merely a player.
This week is no exception to the crazy busy schedules. In fact so many of us could simply forget that we are celebrating the greatest gift God gave the Jewish people – the Torah!
And yes we were given other gifts like Shabbat and Yom Tov. The opportunity to turn off and focus on what’s important rather than what’s urgent. For 25 hours each week we get to exit the stage, take off the masks and focus on what’s important in life.
When Gavin was doing his medical training he often had to spend Shabbat at the hospital. The worst part was that the weeks just merged into one another in never ending monotony. By celebrating Shabbat we step out of the rate race, pause, reflect, and take stock of our lives. We adjust our path and re-engage.
As we celebrate Shabbat and Shavuot this weekend, may we take a break from our daily roles and really enjoy the gifts we’ve received: Torah and family.
Originally published: May 25, 2012