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So what’s with the swag?

Wherever you go these days people seem to be very into swag. The term “swag” originated in hip-hop culture, but it has entered mainstream lingo. It refers to clothing and accessories that have a particular logo or design representing a certain brand. Wearing or sporting swag is meant to confer confidence because of the swag.

Life is all about choices. Like: Remove your shoes, or scrub the floor. Gee. Speaking of which, never laugh at your wife’s choices. You’re one of them. Heh. So, have you convinced yourself that happiness is something that happens to some folks and not others? Well, guess what? You can actually choose to be happy. What do you choose today: anger, hate, sadness, or love? If you spend your precious days dwelling on the past or fretting about the future, what do you suppose happens to your “present”?

“It was the best of jobs; it was the worst of jobs. It was the epoch of tranquility; it was the epoch of disunity. It was the season of warmth; it was the season of freezing. It was spring for one; it was winter for another.”

Have panic attacks become your new cardio? The weather today is increasing anxiety followed by full-blown dread. Do you feel that? The tsunami of anguish, angst, and alarm headed your way before the upcoming holidays. Need I remind you that we almost always agonize over things that never come to pass? Yet the worry, nail-biting, and dread hit us all at different times. You may toss and turn half the night, or sit around over-thinking all day long. Here’s a free tip, sweet friends: Fretting does not actually allow you to control your future.

When my alma mater, Yeshiva Shaarei Torah, was being built during the 1970s, regular domestic wood was obtained for the building. One of the parents of the yeshivah approached the founding rosh yeshivah, Rabbi Berel Wein, and told him he could obtain better-quality wood from Finland at a cheaper rate. The latter wood was far more durable and was expected to last 150-200 years, as opposed to the domestic wood, which was expected to last only 90 years. Rabbi Wein, however, refused the Finnish wood and insisted that the regular wood was sufficient. He told the surprised parent that in America we build too well and for too long. Things move fast, and it’s hard to make calculations for 200 years from now. We don’t need wood that will outlast our grandchildren’s grandchildren. Historically, there are very few Jewish buildings that remain in Jewish hands after 90 years.

Okay, truth time. Life can be complex, messy, and whole lot of hard work, especially this time of year. I know, you need a six-month vacation – twice a year. You know what they say: A vacation is what you take, when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking. Well, at least for this holiday it’s mandatory to drink four cups of wine, eh? Lol.