Prepent Day 15: Family And Your Inner Child

Image by Jacqueline Nicholls

By Amichai Lau-Lavie September 6, 2017

Family dynamics can be some of the most meaningful elements of life, and also, frequently, the most disappointing and damaging. As the youngest of my siblings and most of my cousins, it sometimes feels when I speak with some of them that they still see me as the little bratty kid they first knew me as. Even as a 48 year old, they discount my opinion. Or is it just in my head? How do I meet my family at the age I am now? How do I accept and embrace each of them as they are now, without clinging to all the many memories, some shameful, of how we’ve each evolved over the years? Today I choose one relative to reach out eye to eye, adult to adult, and a sincere wish for a good year ahead. Let’s not wait for family occasions to forgive or to catch up.

Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie is the founder and spiritual leader of Lab/Shul in Manhattan.

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