Starting Something New: No More Excuses

Over the last year a number of people have come up to me and tried to convince me to start a blog. "It will help connect people to more Jewish learning and conversations," they would say.  "What a great opportunity for you reach out to people in our ever greater digitally connected age," they argued.   Yet, for each reason they put forward I always had a thousand excuses why starting a blog would be a bad idea. "I barely have the time as it is," I would counter, "let alone have time to write for a blog. Besides do you think people actually spend the time to read these things? Is it really worth the time and effort?!" I mean I really had a thousand excuses why creating a blog wouldn't work. So what has changed and why am I starting this new blog? I often preach on Rosh Hashanah about becoming aware of the obstacles which prevent us from really engaging in the process of teshuvah (change/return/repentance) or put another way, actualizing our potential as people to become the best we can. One of the biggest of these obstacles is the EXCUSE. Often we find it easier to make excuses about why we can't change, than confront the need to really change. Sometimes we use external factors in our excuses, like blaming others or the "situation" for why we did or didn't do something. This is the classic, "the dog ate my homework" excuse. Other times we simply diminish ourselves by saying we want to but can't, or we let our fear of failure stop us from even trying. When we make excuses we rob ourselves of the power we have to choose how we live our lives, and we duck out on taking the responsibility for our actions or inactions. Taking a new step in life is never easy. Confronting ourselves honestly and in the spirit of humility is difficult. But making excuses never allows us to really change our course, learn and grow. So as the secular year ticked over into 2012, I heard a little voice in my head say, "Are you a rabbi or what?! A teacher, preacher, servant of God and the people Israel, even cyber-Israel. Why don't you follow your own advice and stop making excuses! Give blogging a try. At the very least your mother will read it. And you know she will kvell about it to her friends. 'Have you heard about my son? He's a rabbi and he has a blog!'" So here's to my mother (and father) who I owe everything and love very much. Here's to starting something new with God's help, a blog that can be a resource for Jewish values, ideas and learning with the intent to inspire and nourish the heart, mind and soul of those who read it. Finally, a big thank you to my wonderfully creative, beautiful, and brilliant wife who set up this blog and who is my rock, best friend, and lover. There is no one I would want to share the journey of life more than with you. Here's to that journey with no more excuses.