........many happy returns!

I recently observed the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippor, a day of atonement. This day, one of the holiest of the Jewish calendar, is a fast day dedicated to asking for forgiveness and thinking about how to become a better person. The Hebrew word for repentance is “teshuvah” and it literally means “return.”

This concept of repentance is meaningful – the idea being that when we have somehow lost our way in life, and travelled off the path we were meant to be on, in order to repent, we need to “return” to our original path. I love this gentle idea, both for life and for weight loss.

So often I hear patients berating themselves for having fallen off track with their weight loss. They are embarrassed to see me, sometimes feeling too ashamed to even come in for a visit. I wish they understood that they should really be feeling just the opposite – proud of themselves for returning.

There is not a single one of us who does not somehow at some time (sometimes often!) wander off the path we want to be on in life. Whether in our personal relationships or professional life, or in our relationship with ourselves, we sometimes lose our footing. We disappoint ourselves and do not act in the way we had hoped. But when we do, the answer is right before us: Return.

My dear and beloved Patients, listen to me: Forgive yourselves. Human Beings are not perfect. When you go off your path, simply point yourself in a new direction and return to the path you were meant to be on. That’s the beauty of life: tomorrow is new day and there is always room for RETURN. I hope to see you soon.

Shalom (Hello, Good-bye, Peace)

Adam