Stop Playing the Blame Game

There are times that we look at our life and wish that it was working out differently.  There are times when we are having a day from hell, and wish we could just crawl back under the covers and make it all go away. Life does not always go the way we want it to.  And people -- man, don't even get me started!  I mean, if everyone could just be as perfect as me, well then, of course the world would be perfect! But people disappoint us, and tons of things happen that are beyond our control, and in the end we often find ourselves quite unhappy with the hand life has dealt us.  And clearly, it is all someone else's fault. But maybe it isn't.  And maybe it isn't even my own fault.  Maybe it isn't about blame at all, but rather about trusting that life is a teacher of lessons, and if we move past "whose fault it is?" to the deeper question of "what can I learn from this?" then our sorrow might soon be replaced with wisdom and joy. Attached please find a Shu-Shine for the Torah portion of 'Vayigash': "Stop Playing the Blame Game". May we all be blessed to open our ears and our hearts to the lessons of life, and to grow in the best ways possible towards our fullest selves. This shu-shine is dedicated to my friend Paul Wolff, whose appreciative emails from time to time give me the encouragement to get out the shu-shines as often as I possible can.  Thanks for the loving words, Paul. With Love and a Smile, ~Shu