Explore the Open Avenues!2 min read

As a kid, I used to come down with strep throat every year or so. I would feel it coming on the night before and inevitably wake up with swollen tonsils, a pounding headache, and the inability to swallow. After a quick trip to the doctor, the recovery process was pretty simple; 24 hours after starting on antibiotics, I would begin to feel much better. Apparently it is different when you are an adult. I came down with strep erev yom yov (Pesach 2019) and suffered through a very painful second days (and a sleepless ‘second nights’). Fever, chills, headache, dizziness, were only some of what I exerienced almost constantly over the past few days (I’ll spare you the rest). Despite being on antibiotics, the pain and disorientation remained (and, while to a lesser degree b”H, continue to remain). I was unable to go to shul, unable to enjoy the yom tov meals, and unable to take full advantage of the ruchniyus Pesach has to offer. But, as always, there is a silver lining here. Being cooped up in bed for a few days gave me the gift of a (much needed) quality kaparah (#ThankYouHashem!) and a lot of time to do some quality thinking.

Here is one thought I feel is worth sharing. It has given me much strength.

Everybody knows that we only truly appreciate the value of what we have when it is taken away from us. Because, for the majority of us, health, vibrancy, and vitality are the status quo, we come to take those things for granted. As I lay in bed shvi’i shel Pesach morning in a miserable state, I thought about how amazing it would be to suddenly feel all better. How quickly I would jump up to learn something, to daven, to say some Tehillim, to find someone to encourage, to live life to the fullest! What freedom I would feel from my slavemasters of pain snd my shackles of heaviness! If only I felt back to myself again, I could accomplish anything I set my mind to! But alas, enslaved by the Mitzrayim of strep throat (“Meitzar hagaron” kipshuto mamash), I was confined to bed and unable to do any of these things.

And then it struck me – this door in my life, temporarily sealed, which I so desparately yearned would open and allow me to escape into the joy and energy of life’s marvelous opportunities, this very door was already wide open in the lives of so many others. So many others had the strength and vibrancy necessary to do amazing things. Yet, focused on other doors in their lives that still remained closed, they find it difficult to capitalize on the opportunity. Hung up on elements of slavery that yet linger, they miss out on enjoying the freedom they already have. Inspired, instead of focusing on what I couldn’t do, I began thinking about what I still could, and everything changed. I began writing English lyrics in my head for an old melody. I thought about a great many things, including future projects and endeavors. Instead of focusing on the door in my life that was closed, I tried my best to waltz out of those doors which, while perhaps closed in the lives of others, were yet wide open in mine.

Friends, the truth is that in everyone’s life there are open doors which are sealed in the lives of others. Recognizing even the most natural blessings of life as the miracles and gifts they truly are will allow us to take advantage of all the open doors in our lives, ultimately utilizing this freedom to help others do the same. We each have an inborn freedom, doors wide open to new vistas just waiting to be expored. So yes, we can sit around complaining about the closed doors holding us back, but isn’t it so much better to explore those avenues that are already open to us? What are we waiting for?