Chassdei
Hashem
Once more
One occasion to
See with my own
Eyes a holy

Member of our Klal
Yisroel that is

Skirmishing with the Yetzer
Hara and never
Ever giving up
Mamash inspiring!



Would have been nice to have had a bit more time to talk, but a Brother's embrace is worth its weight in gold. 
A Gadol, everyone knows they are holding at high madreigos and it is a great honor to meet them.
A guy from GYE, almost no one knows how high his madreiga is, but we do, and it is a tremendous zechus to meet him too. Truly.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to have met both kinds of Gedolim.
Kol Tov

1000 is just a number.

Or is it?

999 has one less digit. 1001 is bigger, but less round. 2 years is 730 days and 3 years would be 1095. I could wait another 95 days that will be a special anniversary.

To tell you the truth, I should have celebrated last week at 993 days. Also each and every day before and after. But I don’t. For several reasons I don’t. One good reason is that the celebration is more special when it’s, well, more special. Eating steak every day loses the geshmak of getting exited for a delicious treat. But the steak doesn’t change – I do, or rather my attitude towards it does.

Should it though?

I think yes and no. We need special days, whether designated or deliberately or even arbitrarily chosen. Someone that truly appreciates everything that they have will not take things for granted, no matter how long or often they have them. Modeh Ani is every day, and really every moment. If not for this daily prayer, would I remember that life isn’t guaranteed?

If not for counting the days, would I remember that each day counts?

How often though do I internalize the magnificent gift of life when I wake up? Do I say Modeh Ani, like clicking the clean day counter? As I put a check in that box, am I also checking in with myself? The celebration of a milestone is a compilation of all the days that lead up to it. A birthday is one day that celebrates an entire year of days. Modeh Ani for returning to me my Neshama – the one I had yesterday on day 999, and the day before on 998, all the way back to day 0. Hashem gifts me life every day, but I get used to it, like always eating steak. I don’t appreciate it as much without some occasions to stop and think about what I have. Every week needs a Shabbos. Every month needs a Rosh Chodesh. Every year needs its Yomim Tovim. Celebrate 1 week, one month, 90 days, 1 year, and any time is a good time to take stock of where you are holding. Day 1000 is another good steak, but it stands out, which makes it worth chapping arein the opportunity to appreciate everything. Every day mattered. Every day I made and followed deliberate life choices that, with Siyata DiShmaya, have brought me to where I am in this present moment.

                 It's not an easy thing, though it has gotten easier. It’s not something I take for granted, though it has been granted to me. It’s not something I have completed, though I am more complete. I am finished with it, though I am never finished with it. I am building the model airplane, and I am the model airplane. My soul is repairing my body, one piece at a time. Pulling out of the nose-dive. Deploying the parachute. Recalibrating the controls. Getting aligned on the runway. Revving up the engines. Taking off. Learning how to stay balanced and ride through the turbulence. Flying in the skies.

                It’s a lifetime of skill-building. Refueling, modification, upgrades, maintenance, refinement, and adjusting to new environments. Higher and higher we can ascend – there is no limit. It becomes more natural, and sometimes we can even activate the autopilot, but some clouds hide mountain peaks, so the radar should always be running in the background. Pay attention if alarms are sounding off, and get your hands back on the yoke.

                When my tank felt low, I’d guzzle the cheap and dirty fuel, though it was choking me. Gunk and sediment clogged up my systems, and inhibited my ability to function well. The wear and tear would take its toll and sometimes things would seize completely. The parts of my life needed to be disassembled, thoroughly cleaned, and put back together. Filtering is hard, but clean fuel is worth every effort and expense.

                 The same winds that used to toss me about are now the thrust beneath my wings. When you angle yourself right, they propel you upward. That doesn’t mean you should fly into a tornado. Storms should be avoided. But sometimes you can’t evade them, at least not completely, and that’s when you need ground support, every tool in your arsenal, and a helping hand from above. His goal isn’t to down your plane. He’s trying to test your skills and push you to grow by forcing you to the very edge of your abilities. That’s how you will shatter your limits and achieve greater heights.

The view from 1000 days is both awesome and humbling. I have learned so much and gained access to elevation I never thought I’d see.

Today I look back on all that transpired to get me here.

Today I look forward towards the places I might be headed.

Today I look inward to appreciate the person that I was capable of becoming.

Kol Tov to all my Brothers