The High Holidays and the impact on my spirituality

I always find the High Holidays a chance to ponder the prior year and consider the next. The prayer book's text is rather overt in ensuring we think about such things, but the excercise at which ever service I am attending is always fufilling. In addition, my family keeps a journal about goals for the prior year, what we each accomplished both individually and as a family over those 12-13 months, and what we will do over the next 12-13 months. We have been doing this since 1996 when my first child was born.

In reviewing the prior year I get to think about what I did well and what I can improve. It can be heavy to have true introspection about times I could have behaved better and/or changed how I approached a situation. However, I do attempt to take the hard look and then reconnect with those that I may need to patch things up with.

I also find the saying "On Rosh Hashanah it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed" allows me to ponder what might be "written" about me and I have the 10 days to commit to what will be sealed. I consider the phrase all a metaphor but it is powerful to think that someone is alway watching (whether its kids, a spouse, a business colleague, etc.) and they can write me into their book of life. I always strive for an effort that will result in them "writing" about me in a good way and that I had a positive influence on their life. It is within these moment that G-d exists and is "writing" me in that I feel most spiritual (also know as the warm-fuzzies).