Shabbat Greetings from Pamela Barkley – July 27

44.

That’s how many days there are between this moment and the opening day of Sunday school in the fall. (We begin September 9th for those of you who would like to double-check my math!).  I suppose I could now continue with all the usual reminders like, “If you haven’t registered your kids for school, do so asap” (which of course you should) or “Don’t forget to have your kids look at some Hebrew this summer!” (which of course they should).

But actually, I am looking at the 44 days in a different way. I see it as a midpoint.

There are approximately as many days of summer behind us as there are ahead of us. So I invite you all to take a moment, as I have done, to ask yourselves “What was it I said I was going to do this summer?” Was this the summer you were going to organize that pesky linen closet? Start exercising? Finally get to the dentist? Learn to play tennis? Clean out the garage? Read? What was it that you set as your goals for the summer of 2012?

As someone who works 6 days a week the rest of the year, I can tell you for certain that this summer, like all the others, came with a long list of things I wanted to accomplish: Read the stack of books that have accumulated on my nightstand; overhaul my ridiculously messy office; Go for my checkups at the doctor and dentist; learn to play the guitar sitting in my attic; Sew the pile of clothes that have tears and missing buttons. The list goes on. And so being at the midway point does make me a little nervous because summer is flying by and although I have (check!) read most of the books and (check!) sewed all the clothing, I am still only halfway through the office overhaul, nowhere with my guitar, and haven’t even made appointments with the doctor or dentist.  So I now realize that I have 44 days to get my act in gear. It feels like a lot of days but we all know that labor day will be here in a moment.

I hope all of you have been able to check off some of the items on your summertime checklist. And if you haven’t, then use this as your reminder to get started.

We’re halfway there. 44 days to go. Make each one count!

Author: Melissa