Living in the Construction Zone

We have officially hit that time of year, the prelude to Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.  Without fail the minute I'm 30 days out I start to get my game plan together so I can hit the ground running full momentum, game on. There's an idea in Judaism that before our spiritual review on Rosh Hashana it's a good idea to do a "cheshbon ha nefesh" a literal accounting of the soul or annual report on your life over the course of the last year. 

This year I have to admit I was less than excited in the time leading up to the 30 days and frankly lagging a bit behind with my soul searching.  I know where I came from last year, I know what I accomplished this past year but what's my projection for the coming year? Things didn't exactly turn out the way I had hoped they would and in fact there were many things that occurred that left me scratching my head in confusion.  "How does this fit into my bigger picture?" I wondered.  

One of my favorite authors, Rabbi Pincus, presents an idea that your life could be compared to a construction zone.  Before construction begins the plan is drawn up and you're able to see the end embedded in the beginning. The result is seen reflected in the inception of the plans and you're able to visualize the outcome. Once you commence construction things can sometimes happen unexpectedly: unforseen delays, you end up spending more money than you thought you would, mistakes, messes, etc.  In fact people walking by your construction site might even take in the mess and wonder, "What the heck are they building here? It's indiscernible that it could be any kind of structure at all." 

Each challenge that we face during our construction process adds an important element to the completed structure of our lives.  That challenge during childhood? It poured the concrete and laid your foundation. The years of work it took working on your anger issues; that built the framework of your building. The struggle to find work after 3 years of being laid off...reinforced storm doors that can weather anything.  

The same goes for us in our lives.  You draw up your personal game plan decked out with your goals and personal intentions and set to work but not always do our plans sync up with the reality of G-d's master plan.  The important thing is to remember that the effort and intention is what counts and each thing that seems like a delay or inconvenience is really helping add to the beauty of the finished structure.  It's true we may not be clued in to the grand plan of how everything will ultimately turn out but who knows? What looks like a hole in the ground now with skeletal beams and random piping might some day soon come to rival the Chrysler Building.