Let’s live our lives and be true to ourselves

HUMAN beings are described as complex creatures. The same can be said about family dynamics, a business deal, relationships or any given situation.

Phrases such as “but it’s complicated, complex”, or simply “you don’t understand” often come into play.

How do we deal with these issues? Before we answer the question let’s take a look at the Jewish New Year that we will be celebrating shortly.

Rosh Hashana, translated as head of the year, is the Jewish New Year. The Jewish calendar follows the lunar phase and the new year begins on Sunday evening, September 13 2015, and continues for 48 hours.

The main ritual service is centered around the blowing of the ram’s horn, known as the Shofar. A minimum set of three blasts consisting of 1) straight 2) broken and 3) straight sounds are blown.

We can now suggest an answer to our question, posed above, by suggesting that many life experiences begin with a pristine naivete and simplicity – the first footsteps to a child or the same happy innocence brides and grooms dance through in their early years. There’s a natural beauty and charm baked into most beginnings.

That’s the sweet idealism implied in the first simplicity.

As we wade deeper into the ocean of those experiences, the apparent danger of each wave of difficulty becomes the dominant reality. Life seems complex, building up resentment and negatively – this is stage two!

The third stage sound of the Shofar is the returning to the straight, simple sound. This completes the set, teaching us not to stop in the broken zone and never to dream of retreating to the “never-never world”.

Rather, reach for that simplicity that comes after complexity. Know that it exists, and appreciate that it is mandatory to make life whole again.

We can strive for greatness and happiness in the “simple” things – the richness of a wholesome relationship.

We don’t have to “keep up with the Joneses”, we don’t have to please others. We only need to live life by being and living true to our simple selves.

Simplicity after complexity is the art of the possible. The upcoming festival of Rosh Hashana is about a return to simplicity. We attend synagogue and are aroused by the simple sound of our age-old melodies.

We enjoy our meals among the simple setting of family and friends and partake in the various traditions – like dipping apple into honey to arouse our spirits for a good and sweet year.

We pray for a year where these simple values start becoming the guiding light we choose to use to live our lives.