On the Way to My Meeting

That was me waving at you while you were sitting at Starbucks.  I saw you drinking coffee and talking animatedly with your friend.  You were involved in the conversation so if you did not see me or if it did not register who was waving that is alright.  You were at a meeting.

The reason I did not stop was because I was also on my way to a meeting.  I did not want to be late.

We all have meetings.  They keep us busy.  Some are needful, some are friendly, and some are painful.  But we all have them.  They color our days, occupy conspicuous places on our calendar, are a joy and annoyance and a sign that we are needed.  For some people, the more meetings the more we are needed.

Everyone has a place and everyone has a role.  At work we take places around the table, set up a little perimeter around our seat, and steel ourselves for what is coming.

Meetings vary.  Some are clearly charged and energized for change and a healthy exchange of ideas to get to the change.  Others are more like a regular doctor check-up: we pray nothing happens.  Problems arise when it is not clear which of the two is supposed to happen at the table: Is this the one where we are supposed to be creative or one where change is challenge and represents danger?

I was wondering which of the two you were at when I saw you.  You looked concerned so whichever kind of meeting was I think it was the wrong one.  The knitted brows were the give-away.

Judaism asks for change and growth.  It looks at life and wants us to shake our stasis.  In fact, this time during the Omer when tradition demands that we count the passage of days from Pesah until the next holy day of Shavuot, we are supposed to imagine a long steady climb up a mountainside to meet God (that is what happened many millennia ago).  As we trek up the hill we mentally prepare for THE MEETING. 

Anticipating this meeting we take a long steady look at what we ought to be doing for this conference.  Change or inertia?

The fact is sometimes we are eager for change and other times reticent.  Most people I meet, including myself, want both at different times.  There is one overriding principle, though, that was written by Robert Fulghum.  Here it is:

The wagon driver said to his passengers when they came to a long, steep hill, "Them that's going on with us, get out and push.  Then that ain't, get out of the way."

If there is one constant that we must always observe it is for us to allow others to flex and grow and for others to return the favor.