Is it Possible??

How is it possible to work so hard for something, and continue to work for it even though it is hard work? How is it possible to be in a situation that is challenging and not to give up? How does one make life doable? Enjoyable?

A woman, who had a difficult birth, will have another child. She gets up in the middle of the night even though she’s so tired. Pulls herself out of bed even though she feels spent. She works so hard at everything and she keeps going and doing and living and as we all know it’s not easy.

Life is hard work.

Where does one find that desire to go on, continue doing and working and trying? I want to suggest something, please bear with me. It might sound at first that I’m belittling the challenge by saying something so simple; I am not. Really, I know that it might take every ounce of energy that you have got. But this one word will change your life and how you feel about what you are doing.

Here it is…

FOCUS.

That’s right, focus. Focus on your goal. On the “goal”. There are numerous forces out there that will try to distract you and one must put tremendous effort on “simply” staying focus on the goal, but when you do it helps enormously.

Yaakov Avinue saw Rachel, knew she was his bashert (soulmate), and worked hard for the right to marry her for seven long years. The Torah says that “And Yaacok worked for Rachel seven years, but they appeared to him like a few days because of his love for her (Beresheit 29:20).”

Yaakov had a goal. He wanted to marry Rachel. He focused on his goal and he worked hard towards it. It’s what propelled him to keep working. The sense of purpose made the challenge easier and the work lighter.

Seven years and then he had to work seven more and while he didn’t like that his father in-law deceived him, he never complained about the work. Why? Because he was focused on his goal and he knew that the work was the means to get him there.

To focus on our goals in life. It puts a why into everything that you are doing; changes a mundane task into a part of a holy mission. When you know that the only way to get from A to B is this through this process and if I am focused on B then I will have the strength to keep going. Whether I am comfortable or not I continue to work to get there. (And actually, sometimes being too comfortable is more of an obstacle to get there than not.)

Imagine what that does to a young mother changing diapers and picking up the floor. What it does to a parent making breakfast, lunch and dinner. What it does when you explain over and over again the homework to the child who just doesn’t get it. What it does when you go to work to support your family. What it does when you have to work so hard to find patience, stay calm, get dressed even though no one will see you but you remember that no matter what you have to work hard in this world so you might as well work hard for a purpose. That’s right, the work it’s part of the process and it’s so worth it because with Hashem’s help if you stay focused, He will help you get there. With blessings, Shabbat Shalom, Elana