Perpetual Preparations

In kindergarten, they told us, “If you can’t learn to write the ABC’s you’ll never succeed in first grade.”

In middle school, they told us: “In the Junior High no one is going to help you like they do now, you need to know how to keep up on your own.”

In Junior high, they told us: “if you don’t do well now, how are you going to survive in high school?”

In high school, they told us: “If you don’t do well in high school, you won’t get into a good college.”

In university, they told us they were preparing us for the “real world”.

And then I joined the army.

I was sleeping 5 hours a night. Getting 30 minutes to eat. 15 minutes for Mincha. 6 minutes for the bathroom.

And then the commanders in basic training would say something like: “Just wait until you become a civilian…”

And that’s when I realized everyone should take a deep breath.

This year don’t prepare for next year.

This year just do this year, and do it right.

Because this year there are 6.5 million Jews living in the land of Israel and I am one of them (and hopefully so are you).

For now that’s all that really matters. We can always worry about next year, well…. Next year.