Have A Nice Day!

My trip to the grocery store this morning got me thinking. I ran in in giant hurry, with 20 people coming for the Seudah HaMafseket (meal before Yom Kippur) and not having shopped for food - I was in a time crunch. When I arrived at the checkout to pay for my items I was already in a tizzy. I was rushing (which isn't helpful), had to rearrange my menu due to a produce department that was missing all sorts of things (thanks Hurricane Matthew) and had even managed to drop my keys in my cart - which the cashier found and kindly handed to me. While waiting to pay, the fellow who was bagging groceries asked me if I wanted paper or plastic. I replied that I would like plastic - and then he proceeded to use paper while asking me again. I quickly realized from his demeanor  that this nice young man was dealing with some cognitive difficulties. I smiled and said plastic again. When I finished paying the young man looked at me with a giant smile and said, "thank you, have a nice day, come see us again soon". 

As I headed to my car I realized that the cheerful have a nice day and come see us again soon left me in a better mood than I had been when I arrived at the checkout counter. With Yom Kippur just hours away this wasn't lost on me. It occurred to me that in life we many times walk around rushed, harried and frazzled - and as such, we can find ourselves interacting with others in a hurried, unkind and possibly rough around the edges type of fashion. This young fellow taught me the importance of kindness. 

In just a few hours we will begin Yom Kippur. We will spend 25 hours praying to Hashem. Telling Him we are sorry for what we have done, we will resolve to do better in the future. We will also cry out to Hashem and ask Him to treat all of us with love and kindess and grant each of us a year filled with only sweetness. 

In that moment at the grocery store, I was reminded of the importance of kindness. Just one tiny act of kindness can really go a long way. Let us all resolve (and act upon!!) to be more kind in this shiny, brand new year. When G-d looks at His people, and sees our kindness towards one another, He will know that we are truly deserving of the wonderful year we will surely be sealed for! 

G'mar Chatima Tova! May each and every one of us be sealed in the book of life - for a good year filled only with good and joyous days! 

Here is a recipe for the sweet potato soup we had for our first pre Yom Kippur meal today. 

Sweet Potato Soup

Olive oil

3 onions

1 container cubed sweet potatoes

Water

Salt

Pepper

Garlic

Oregano

Sage

Fresh dill 

Chop 3 onions and sautee in some olive oil. When they start to get soft, add in the sweet potatoes and continue to stir until they get a little soft. Cover with water and sprinkle in salt, pepper, garlic, oregano and the sage. Bring to a boil and then lower. Cook until sweet potatoes are soft. Sprinkle a handful of fresh dill and then puree the soup using an immersion blender.