From the Rabbi’s Desk

Have you had a breakout point in your life that you could look back on and see when the tides turned positive for you? When the underdog feeling changed to topdog? Those moments are so powerful, that a person has to bring them up regularly in order to give themselves the drive to continue to become greater than they thought they could become.

I remember a topdog moment when I was around 8 years old. Growing up in a home with 3 older siblings meant that you were more or less the ‘little cute one that we could have fun with’. Every younger child wants to be part of their bigger siblings experiences, we want to feel big and strong.

Then there are the practical jokes that older siblings like to play on the younger ones. After the little cutie years passed, my sisters would enter a new phase, with different types of ways to show their seniority. They would play games like “you know if your hand is bigger than your face, it means your a genius, test it out”. Wham! Slap the kids hand onto their nose.

There was one such trick (which later on I became grateful to my sister for playing on me) and that was “try and hit me”. It entails the older and taller sibling to extend their arm and grab the shorter, weaker siblings head, then watch them try to swing or kick at you. The younger’s arms and legs are too short to reach the elder, so until the older sibling lets go, the younger is doomed.

Until it changed. As I said, I was around 8 years old. While standing in the living room, my sister and I were in a ‘fight’. Then the claw came out and latched it onto my head. “Oh no!”, I thought, I am locked again”. I took a few swings and kicks, but to no avail, I couldn’t come close. Suddenly, I decided on a new approach. This is where the background music changes, starting with a lone oboe playing in the background, rolling to a full orchestra. Imagining the incident in slow motion, I take my arm, pull it back, and with all my strength, swing it at the arm of my sister. Suddenly the claw rescinded and my sister went screaming to my mother, “Mommy, he hit me sooo hard!”

At this point, I opened up my shirt and revealed my undershirt which had a big S emblazoned in the center, and out the window a bright sunray shone through. Ok, that part didn’t happen, but I keep telling it to myself so it can become a reality. I had no idea how big that incident would be in my life. But I review it often, because it gives me a great reminder, that even when situations repeat themselves, the outcomes can become different, and you as a superhero can actually find your strength and resolve to change the results. I am grateful to my sister for being the catalyst in me recognizing my ability to not give up. I am more grateful to G-D for enabling me to bring up the incident and for teaching me these great lessons in life.

Becoming a superhero isn’t easy, but when you bring yours out, you know that the game of life has officially changed.