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Big Birthday Blog/Turning 70

 


Dear Friends,

I have written about my upcoming 70th birthday a few times but on Friday, May 17, it will become a reality.

I am reminded of the words of the Psalmist who  wrote "This is the day the Lord hath made, on it we should rejoice and be happy." ( Psalm 118:24)

As we celebrate this milestone birthday with family and close friends, I feel very blessed.

I want to share the blessing which a dear colleague, Rabbi Gilah Langner, gave me last Saturday at services.  She reminded me that the numerical value for 70 is the Hebrew letter "ayin."  (Each  Hebrew letter has a numerical value.  Please search for gematria to learn more about this).

"Ayin" is also the Hebrew word for eye and she encouraged me to keep an eye on what is important in life and knowing my interest in baseball, she told me to keep my eye on the ball.  She reminded the congregation that when one receives a walk as a batter, it is because the batter watches the ball go by and chooses not to swing. As my 70th  birthday arrives ,she encouraged me to think about which pitches to let go by and at which pitches to swing.

The message I received that I want to share is that we all need to decide what is important in our lives and what is less important and at  what point it is worthwhile to swing.

So, I conclude this message with the words of Kenny Rogers, Doris Day, and the Psalmist.

In his song, "The Gambler" Rogers sings, "You got to know when to hold them, and know when to fold them, know when to walk away,  and know when to run."  (See below).

Doris Day's song "Que sera sera" reminds us that what will be will be.  (see below)

Finally, Psalm 90:12 teaches us to number our days so we will have a heart of wisdom.

Thank  you, Rabbi Gilah, for reminding me to swing at what is important and to keep my eye on being thankful for good health, a wonderful family, and continued opportunities to give so that I can share what is important in my heart.

B'shalom,

Rabbi Bruce Aft

Lyrics:  The Gambler  by Kenny Rogers
On a warm summer's eveningOn a train bound for nowhereI met up with the gamblerWe were both too tired to sleepSo we took turns a-starin'Out the window at the darknessThe boredom overtook usAnd he began to speak
He said, "Son, I've made a lifeOut of readin' people's facesKnowin' what the cards wereBy the way they held their eyesSo if you don't mind my sayin'I can see you're out of acesFor a taste of your whiskeyI'll give you some advice"
So I handed him my bottleAnd he drank down my last swallowThen he bummed a cigaretteAnd asked me for a lightAnd the night got deathly quietAnd his face lost all expressionSaid, "If you're gonna play the game, boyYou gotta learn to play it right
You've got to know when to hold 'emKnow when to fold 'emKnow when to walk awayAnd know when to runYou never count your moneyWhen you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin'When the dealin's done
Every gambler knowsThat the secret to survivin'Is knowin' what to throw awayAnd knowin' what to keep'Cause every hand's a winnerAnd every hand's a loserAnd the best that you can hope for Is to die in your sleep"
And when he'd finished speakin'He turned back toward the windowCrushed out his cigaretteFaded off to sleepAnd somewhere in the darknessThe gambler he broke evenBut in his final wordsI found an ace that I could keep
You've got to know when to hold 'emKnow when to fold 'emKnow when to walk awayAnd know when to runYou never count your moneyWhen you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin'When the dealin's done
You've got to know when to hold 'em (when to hold 'em)Know when to fold 'em (when to fold 'em)Know when to walk awayAnd know when to runYou never count your moneyWhen you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin'When the dealin's done
You've got to know when to hold 'emKnow when to fold 'emKnow when to walk awayAnd know when to runYou never count your moneyWhen you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin'When the dealin's done
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Don Schlitz
The Gambler lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)
Song by Doris Day
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