Pregnant with Potential
By: Nalini Ibragimov
Many of my favorite tunes in tefila are sung on the Days of Awe, including Rosh Hashanah. After the shofar is blown, we sing the words Hayom harat olam, often translated as, “Today is the birthday of the world”. But it means more precisely, “Today the world is pregnant”.
Pregnancy is often a mixed bag physically. There’s the nausea, discomfort, back pain, and heartburn. But there’s the growing belly and the excitement of a new, living being growing inside the woman. What will this child be like (perfect, of course!)? Who will she look like? What kind of temperament will he have? What interests will she have? What career will he pursue? There is so much potential. So many possibilities. What kind of mother will I be? Will I be a disciplinarian, a pushover? How will I balance work and family responsibilities? Will I be a loving, warm and understanding mother figure? Or will I be stressed and overwhelmed, not being present in the moment? Endless possibilities…who do I want to be?
On Rosh Hashanah, the world is pregnant with potential. Each individual is pregnant, carrying none other than himself. Everyone has the capacity to become…who they are meant to be. To live life to its fullest, to be the best and most developed version of oneself. There is so much potential for the unwritten future that lies ahead.
Yes, there may be some discomfort. Growing and maturing, developing ourselves isn’t always easy. Just as pregnancy doesn’t always feel good, and certainly birthing can be painful, becoming greater versions of ourselves also requires tremendous work and effort. But the potential lies therein.
This Rosh Hashanah, let’s remember that anything is possible. There is infinite potential. The Master of the World is the Source of everything and only He can provide me with the tools necessary for my job in this world. With that simple recognition, coupled with a deep desire to do and become greater, we will give birth to who we truly are.
Wishing you all a blessed year, filled with meaning and joy, faith and serenity. May you be written and sealed in the book of life!