Forgive is something I hope that I do, but it is not as easy as just saying you are sorry. As we prepare for the the High Holy days the topic to forgive brings you right to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Our prayers are full of asking for forgiveness, including one that includes an A-Z listing of sins we may have committed, ending with the sin of Xenophobia.
I tell my students and my own personal children that you must ask personally for forgiveness from those around you. That is very hard and there may be just as many categories as an alphabetical listing. Here is my listing:
My students: If I have not been patient in class with you, if I have not taken enough time to teach you, if you felt slighted in class forgive me.
My Religious School parents: If you didn't find the answers to your questions, if I did not respond in a satisfactory manner, if class did not met your expectations, forgive me.
My children: If I was not always available, if I was there so much you thought I was hovering, forgive me, if I was not always open to new ideas, forgive me.
My co-workers: If I expected the impossible with impatience, if I was not in a good mood, if I seem preoccupied, forgive me.
My husband: If I was not always patient, if I was not always pleasant to be with, if I was occupied with miscellaneous tasks and not you forgive me.
Take a minute and think about you would like to ask forgiveness. You have the month of Elul and then 10 more days to seek out your recipients. This is a great time of year to make that phone call or visit and connect.
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