“The bittersweet side of appreciating life’s most precious moments is the unbearable awareness that those moments are passing.”
—Marc Pleasant
As the mother of two small children and the cantor and teacher of every b’nai mitzvah student who studies in our community, I am reminded daily of the bittersweet passing of time. As a parent, individual days sometimes feel like weeks, but somehow, the weeks themselves pass quickly. And often, I will be up at the Beverly Glen Center grabbing a coffee and I will hear “Cantor Emma! Cantor Emma!” only to turn around and see the early adult face of a bar or bat mitzvah student I taught and prayed with years before. It is impossible to wrap my head around how quickly time passes, but, when I am most present, I experience a deep sense of gratitude for the gifts of these relationships, for the privilege of seeing my own children and the children of our community grow.
On days of celebration, like Rosh Chodesh or festivals, we recite Hallel, a collection of psalms of praise including Psalms 113-118. The closing psalm of this sweet and prayerful compilation includes these words:
זֶה־הַ֭יּוֹם עָשָׂ֣ה יְהֹוָ֑ה נָגִ֖ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה בֽוֹ׃
“This is the day God has made; celebrate and rejoice in it.”
—Psalm 118:24
I love these words because they are a gentle reminder that time indeed exists, even though the best way to live life to the fullest is to be joyful whenever possible and to truly live in the moment.
Today (and everyday that we can), how might we find ways to truly be in the moment, without distraction, without holding on to troubles of the past or worries about the future? Each moment inevitably passes into the next, and time is unstoppable. However, the present moment is a gift, a constant invitation to celebrate, to rejoice, and to appreciate life’s unfolding before us.
—Cantor Emma