What Does IT Mean To Jump Into The Deep End In The Pool?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO JUMP INTO THE DEEP END IN THE POOL?

I’VE ASKED MYSELF THAT QUESTION MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT MY LIFE AND TODAY AT 59 YEARS OLD AS I LOOK BACK I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITH CONFIDENCE. LET ME START OFF BY TELLING YOU THAT I CONSIDER MYSELF A SHY PERSON IN MANY SOCIAL SITUATIONS. NOW I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE LAUGHING BUT IT IS TRUE. IF I KNOW THE PERSON I'M A BIT MORE RELAXED AND COME OUT OF WHAT I CONSIDER MY SELF-CONSCIOUS SELF. NOW ON WITH THE STORY. REMEMBER AS I TELL YOU THE STORY THIS IS MY PERCEPTION. STEPPING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, TAKING A DEEP BREATH AND JUMPING INTO THE POOL, THAT I CALL BEING BRAVE AND TAKING A RISK, BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE. I RECALL DOING THIS ADVENTURE 4 TIMES IN MY LIFE. LET ME EXPLAIN.

1. AT 23 YEARS OLD I FINISHED MY MASTERS PROGRAM AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR A JOB. MY FRIENDS ALL LIVED OUT OF STATE AND WERE STARTING TO GET MARRIED. I ASKED MY AUNT WHO LIVES IN NYC IF I COULD COME LIVE WITH THEM WHILE I LOOKED FOR A JOB. SHE AND MY UNCLE ENCOURAGED ME TO MOVE AND WELCOMED ME INTO THEIR HOME. I PACKED MY CAR AND DROVE TO NEW YORK CITY ALL BY MYSELF. TRUTHFULLY THAT WAS THE SCARIEST PART OF MOVING AWAY FROM THE ONLY HOME I KNEW. SHORTLY AFTER MOVING, I GOT A JOB AND MET MY HUSBAND 3 WEEKS LATER AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

2. I HAVE TRAVELED TO ISRAEL MANY TIMES WITH FAMILY AND FEDERATION GROUPS. I HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED GOING ALONE ESPECIALLY IF I DIDN’T KNOW ANYONE ON THE TRIP. I PERSONALLY LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. IN 2015 I READ ABOUT A TRIP SPONSORED BY FEDERATION CALLED HEART 2 HEART THAT’S MAIN FOCUS WAS WOMEN AND IT TAILORED TO DIFFERENT FEDERATIONS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. IT SOUNDED AMAZING AND THE ITINERARY SPOKE TO ME, WHAT COULD BE BAD? I ASKED MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHAT SHOULD I DO AND THEY ALL ENCOURAGED ME TO GO. I SIGNED UP THE NEXT DAY ONLY TO FIND OUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE FROM MICHIGAN GOING. WHO WOULD BELIEVE I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE AND FRIENDS THAT I WILL TREASURE FOREVER. THE FOLLOWING YEAR I BROUGHT MY DAUGHTER AUNT AND A GROUP OF LADIES FROM MICHIGAN. WHEN WE GOT HOME SOMEONE FROM NATIONAL WOMEN'S PHILANTHROPY CALLED AND ASKED ME TO SIT ON THEIR NATIONAL BOARD, I WAS SO HONORED.

3. I’VE ALWAYS HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT A SPA IN TUCSON, ARIZONA. I THOUGHT WOW I COULD USE SOME ALONE TIME. I ASKED MYSELF THAT AGE OLD QUESTION, SHOULD I GO BY MYSELF? IT DIDN’T TAKE TOO LONG FOR ME TO ANSWER MY OWN QUESTION, “OF COURSE YOU SHOULD, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE, JUMP INTO THE DEEP END OF THE POOL AND TAKE A CHANCE” GUESS WHAT I WAS RIGHT, I HAD 5 DAYS OF ALONE TIME. I FOCUSED ON MYSELF INSTEAD OF OTHERS AND CAME BACK REFRESHED AND REVITALIZED. BE PRESENT AND LIVE IN THE MOMENT AND WORK ON LOVING YOURSELF, YOU DESERVE IT.

4. FINALLY, WE COME TO WHY I WROTE THIS BLOG. SILVER LININGS COOKING. MY HUSBAND ALWAYS TOLD MY KIDS BEFORE THEY WENT TO COLLEGE, WHEN LOOKING FOR A CAREER FIND SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND IT WILL NEVER BE A JOB AND YOU WILL LOVE GETTING UP IN THE MORNING. WELL HIS ADVICE FOR ME AT 59 YEARS OLD WAS RIGHT ON TARGET. I AM A SOCIAL WORKER AND A FULL TIME MOM. I NEVER THOUGHT THIS DREAM BETSY AND I TALKED ABOUT FOR TWENTY YEARS WOULD EVER BECOME A REALITY. DURING THE LOCKDOWN OF COVID BETSY AND I TALKED ABOUT CREATING A SHABBAT TO GO BUSINESS THAT HAS EVOLVED INTO SO MUCH MORE. WE BOTH JUMPED INTO THE DEEP END OF THE POOL AND TOOK A CHANCE. THIS IS HOW SLC WAS BORN ONLY A SHORT 3 MONTHS AGO. I LOVE GETTING UP IN THE MORNING SEEING WHAT THE DAY HAD INSTORE FOR US. I LOVE WORKING WITH BETSY. I LOVE SLC, ESPECIALLY HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COOK FOR SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE TRULY ARE BLESSED.