You Are Indispensable
At home, are there certain roles for which you lean on your partner?
She’ll make sure the fridge is stocked.
Plus, I don’t have to pay attention to when we run out of laundry detergent.
Perhaps there’s a good partnership set up. While she is carrying the responsibility of those details, she’ll never have to take note of when it’s garbage day in our neighborhood.
For those living alone, there is no one to lean on for those matters- if the phone bill doesn’t get paid, there isn’t anyone who is going to pay it for you.
And if you don’t put dinner on your plate, no one else will.
This is the kind of responsibility we are meant to be carrying when we talk about repairing the world. While it’s a team effort, I can’t lean on anyone to play my particular role.
Yesterday, I met with someone in our community about sharing some ARKs. He has influence in a few different organizations and I was hoping he could introduce the ARKs (Charity boxes with the aim of spreading Acts of Random Kindness. See ArkClarkCounty.com for more details) to those groups.
He loved the concept and was excited to get on it. I offered my ideas, my advice and then I reminded him that if he wanted to be successful with it, he must adopt the project as his own. Lean on me for sharing thoughts and encouragement, but you have to hold this as your own if you want to see it through.
In last week’s email I shared a message from the Rebbe’s inaugural address when he first began his leadership 74 years ago. This idea here, was another message in that same talk.
The Rebbe encouraged each one of us- empowered us- to take full responsibility of bringing G-d’s presence into this world. Once upon a time, the Jewish people leaned on the spiritual leaders of their generation, but today, the Rebbe said, we each play a vital role.
Lean on each other for support, lean on the Rebbe for guidance and inspiration, but you and only you can play the role for which G-d put you in the universe. Don’t assume someone else will show up to fix the problem, to fill the gap, or to plug the hole. No one else’s words matter as much as yours, no one else’s hug is warmer than the one you can give, and no one else’s prayers can pierce the heavens where yours are awaited. No one else can fill the seat at the party like you can.
You in your home, you in your community, you in your workplace.
You are indispensable.
As soon as you know that, you will get amazing things accomplished.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom.
