The Big Picture
When my wife and I married, we vowed to never become one of those obsessed, corny and tacky theme crazed Shaloch Manos families. However, it happens to the best of us, and we converted quite early on in our Purim career, in fact it started on our very first Purim. Our first year married we decided to make fun of our last name and we did a dandruff theme (I am sure many of you are confused because many people think that our last name is dandruff, but it is actually DRANDOFF). Everything in the shaloch manos bag was white, and we even included a small bottle of Head and Shoulders Drandoff controlled shampoo. It was cute idea and we received encouraging feedback. The following year, Purim was on a Friday, so of course we had to do the Shabbos theme. The next year we did birthday bags in honor of our daughter Tema’s first birthday (she was born a few days before Purim). The trend has continued every year, and as good Jews, we now have a new stress to stress about every year. When February arrives wife asks the resounding question “What is going to be our Purim theme this year?”
When my wife and I married, we vowed to never become one of those obsessed, corny and tacky theme crazed Shaloch Manos families. However, it happens to the best of us, and we converted quite early on in our Purim career, in fact it started on our very first Purim. Our first year married we decided to make fun of our last name and we did a dandruff theme (I am sure many of you are confused because many people think that our last name is dandruff, but it is actually DRANDOFF). Everything in the shaloch manos bag was white, and we even included a small bottle of Head and Shoulders Drandoff controlled shampoo. It was cute idea and we received encouraging feedback. The following year, Purim was on a Friday, so of course we had to do the Shabbos theme. The next year we did birthday bags in honor of our daughter Tema’s first birthday (she was born a few days before Purim). The trend has continued every year, and as good Jews, we now have a new stress to stress about every year. When February arrives wife asks the resounding question “What is going to be our Purim theme this year?”
My wife and I decided for Purim this year we were going to do the peace-loving thing and be hippies for Purim. We created a hippie theme and of course we dressed like hippies on Purim day. I donned jeans, as I could not find bell-bottoms, and a tie-dyed shirt over a long sleeve T-shirt. I sported a black afro with a string around my hair (representing a make shift bandana, as a real bandana would not fit around the afro), and I got my hands on some really funny buttons (Jews need love, I shot JR Ewing, Holy Moses), as well as the hallmark of any true hippie; the peace sign necklace. I looked awesome! To my wife’s horror many people commented that I looked very natural and comfortable as a hippie.
On Purim day my four-year-old daughter looked at me and started to laugh. Wearing a big smile on her face she said, “ Daddy you look so silly.” Out of curiosity I asked her “what is so silly?” I thought she was going to comment on my stylish afro, the string around my head, the colorful clothing she is not used to me wearing, but that was not the case. She gave me a look of disappointment and explained “Daddy only girls are supposed to wear necklaces, not boys.”
Question for the Shabbos Table: Are we any different than my adorable four year old? What amazed me about my daughter was her ability to focus on a detail and miss the big picture? She was so confused by the necklace that she did not even think too much about my new hairdo, or funky clothing.
How many times in our lives do we get so obsessed about details that we miss the more significant point? The times we are bothered when a person was not particularly nice to us, do we even consider the possibility that our friend is having a hard day? When we stress out about the plummeting economy, and our 401k’s of blessed memory, are we appreciating that we are fortunate to be surrounded by people who care about us, and are supporting of us, whether it be family or friends?
Have a wonderful and “peaceful” Shabbos!
Question for the Shabbos Table: Are we any different than my adorable four year old? What amazed me about my daughter was her ability to focus on a detail and miss the big picture? She was so confused by the necklace that she did not even think too much about my new hairdo, or funky clothing.
How many times in our lives do we get so obsessed about details that we miss the more significant point? The times we are bothered when a person was not particularly nice to us, do we even consider the possibility that our friend is having a hard day? When we stress out about the plummeting economy, and our 401k’s of blessed memory, are we appreciating that we are fortunate to be surrounded by people who care about us, and are supporting of us, whether it be family or friends?
Have a wonderful and “peaceful” Shabbos!
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