Forgive me for a personal flashback.
I just realized another one of those "Hashem is in our lives every moment" moments. Twenty-eight years after the fact.
I showed up one day late to my first duty station in the military.
(You have to understand that my son, Stunt Man, is going into the IDF today; so this stuff is kind of on my mind.)
I was supposed to fly to Germany, to arrive at my first post, a day before I made it. I overslept, and missed my flight.
It's probably important to the story for me to share with you that I am not "laid back" about time the way Stunt Man and the Dearly Beloved are. If they are late for stuff, they cope. Y'know?
I share in common with the Yeshiva Bochur the. absolute. need. to be ON TIME. To be right. I was totally devastated when I realized that I was still in New York, and that my scheduled flight was on its way to Germany without me.
I was late for my very first military job.
What would they think of me? What could they think of me??? I would probably end up in the stockade.
Disgraced.
(Fortunately, the Army is made up of people who are used to dealing calmly with people like the Stunt Man and his father. Nothing bad happened.)
So what is this post about?
Hashgacha pratit. That's what.
I met my boys' father the night I arrived in Germany. He was the duty officer.
Somebody else was the duty officer the night I was scheduled to arrive...
This post is about how nothing in Hashem's world is by accident.
Soldier Boy, Yeshiva Bochur, Stunt Man, and Sports Guy -- and 28 years of my happiness -- are a direct result of a missed flight.
Who can understand the ways of Hashem?
Who knew?
[pause]
I guess He did. That's what it's all about.
Hashgacha pratit: the knowledge that Hashem is concerned with every aspect of the day-to-day lives of His created ones. He really, really cares about me as an individual, and about you, and you, and you, and you, and...
16 comments:
I am sitting here shaking my head - look at what that missed flight has brought you.
Mind you, 4 boys - somehow, that tugs a chord with me ;)
May you continue to have much nachat from your lovely family.
And just think how upset you were about that missed flight! How many times have we put ourselves through grief over things that were and are 100% PERFECT. Needless to say, I am deeply grateful and widely happy that you overslept that morning for all the joy and nachas it has brought into my life. May your overflowing nachas grow exponentially, dear friend.
Love,
Shalomis
Great story. Thanks for sharing it!
WOW! that is an awesome story! i read it aloud to mark.
Great story - never asked how you guys met before!!
Please tell your new Chayal that I'll add him to the long list that I keep in mind when we say the Mi Sh' berach for Chayalim. Look forward to seeing a pic in uniform.
PG the 3 years should go by quickly and peacefully.
NG
love, Love LOVE hashgacha pratit stories. You wanna hear something funny? The word verification for this comment is, I rib thee not, "shema".
Ruti, what a beautiful story. May you and your husband only have nachas and simachas from your loving family. The pictures say it all.Thank-you for posting them.
Hashem works in strange and miraclous ways. Only He knows our future.
May He watch over and guide your young 'soldier boy' and keep him safe everyday.
Miriam
What a FANTASTIC memory and "aha!" moment. Thank you for sharing it with us. And I LOVE the photo of you and your dearly beloved together. How gorgeous you both are! And is that your grandchild? Wow. Thanks again for the photos. It makes me feel I have known you a long time. Shalom and hugs,
As usual, you tell it sooo well.
As I sit here and my tall guy is stuck in Zurich because of yet another ash cloud. If I had gone with him on this trip to Ireland I would have been upset...enough that I am here waiting....
CLASSIC!!!!! Eizeh tov Hashem! And what a zechut to have the 20:20 hindsight work, to see that what looked bad was really good. It's a blessing we rarely get, unless we put on our emuna glasses...
אהבתי
Thanks to everyone for such lovely comments and brachot!
Gilly: I'll tell him. Thank you.
BatAliyah: Amazing!
Barbara: May he come home soon, safely -- and with good stories.
Thank you to all of you, for reading, and for continuing to inspire me.
Man plans, God laughs, sometimes in a great way. Wonderful story! May Hashem continue to watch over your family in His wonderful way!
Ruti, as I read this I thought about how we met you, and how you came to our services. If someone besides Joe had been the person you talked with, who knows how it might have turned out. Hashem does work in wonderful and mysterious ways:-)
Ruti, super-great story and lesson. I was always the "be early or die" type. For the past 29 almost years, since we moved to Shiloh, I've been working on myself to change, and B"H I have.
Miriyummy: Amen, to both the quote and the bracha! Thanks for dropping by the blog, as it caused me to discover yours. Great attitude toward food and family, fun, a pure delight -- and recipes!
Enid: Joe zt"l and you get a lot of credit for being "our first home" among the Jewish people. Your open and welcoming arms let us know that we had found our place at last. There is a Chasidic story about a childless couple who discovered at the Gates of Shemayim that they were counted as having had thousands of children. Their confusion was answered: "Every soul you gave a home to who was otherwise homeless accrued to your Heavenly account. Their children did as well, and their children, and their children..." Thanks for still loving us -- even though we've "gone off the derech." ;-D
Batya: I know what you mean, about trying to "grow out of" the need to be on time. Israel has helped, though. I am convinced that the entire country runs on Chasidic time. :-) Thanks for reading!
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