What a crazy week it’s been.  Everyone is coping differently, but I find many are feeling quite similar. Missing appointments, loosing important items and not being able to focus has been a common complaint.

With that introduction, I wanted to share one meaningful mindset shift I experienced this week. 

In all the craziness, somehow after the end of Succos and Simchas Torah, I dove back into the daily routine of my life missing one important item.  My wallet. It’s missing.  Nothing has been charged so I assume it’s in my house or car, but I still have yet to locate it.  Yes, by now it’s probably time to start replacing items, but in the meantime, this is how the week went. 

I would get in the car to drive carpool and think about the distance and time I was going to be spending driving.  Then I would have a theoretical conversation in my head with a theoretical police officer.  The officer would tell me how serious it is to drive without a license and the fine I would incur.  That’s when I would start crying, in this theoretical conversation, and tell him about the war in Israel, my kids on vacation and my role in the community planning programs to support young Jews to come together during this difficult time.  All that is why he would understand why I can’t find my wallet and would obviously appreciate a break.  Hopefully he would send me off with a heavy warning.  Whew!

By Friday this conversation was very well versed and I was honestly getting a little tired of it.  I also realized the role this theoretical scenario played in my life.  This was my comfort and rationale in doing something that was wrong.  I stopped and said to myself, I don’t want this conversation with the officer to play out in real life and I don’t want to rely on this to feel better.  I am going to turn this to Hashem instead.  That is when the tone dramatically shifted.  I said, “Hashem, please don’t let this scenario play out, I don’t want to have to speak with the police officer.  Please help me find my wallet.  Thank you for the carpool I drive and my deep connection to the Jewish people.  Thank you for my responsibilities in life to my family and my community.  Please give us comfort and help us function and trust in and only turn to You.  Thank You!!”

Next, I took a breathe of relief.  It was refreshing that instead of looking at my life as one thing in the way of another and almost as a complaint in the theoretical conversation, when I turned to talk to my Creator, it became plea of gratitude and hope for the future.  

May we more and more, turn our focus to the only One who can really help us and build that love and connection to bring to the world more peace and peace of mind.