When Everything Changes
Genesis 45:5
Parashat Vayigash brings us to a moment of profound emotional reckoning. Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers and reframes years of betrayal and suffering with words that continue to echo across generations:
“for it was to preserve life that God sent me before you.” (Genesis 45:5)
Joseph does not deny the pain of what happened. He does not minimize the loss or pretend the journey was easy. Instead, he acknowledges that meaning sometimes reveals itself only after everything has changed.
Vayigash reminds us that life can turn on a single moment—and that we often find ourselves making sense of our lives only in hindsight, standing at a crossroads we never expected to reach.
Hidden Blessings
A Prayer for Parasha 11, Vayigash
Source of Life & Light,
Grant me the ability
to be comfortable with uncertainty
and find tranquility in the not-knowing.
Help me recognize the possibility
that challenges are a catalyst
for soul growth,
as well as the reality
that hidden blessings
exist continuously
if I am but willing
to look for them.
A Personal Invitation
If you are in Florida on Thursday, January 15th, please join me for a discussion on Visual Midrash, at the Congregation of Reform Judaism in Orlando, FL. My new book, Illuminated Journey, will be available, and I’d be happy to sign copies.
Beginning Again after a Difficult Year
For many of us, 2025 has been an especially hard year.
I know this not only as a witness, but on a personal level. People I love—including my daughter, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 triple negative breast cancer—are navigating unwelcome and life-altering health challenges. Friends are grieving the loss of parents, spouses, and beloved teachers. Others are carrying quieter losses that may never fully be spoken aloud.
This year has asked more from some of us than we ever imagined we could give.
In 2025, I—like so many others—embarked on a journey I never wanted to be on. As I grapple with the uncertainty of the road ahead, I find myself returning to a piece I wrote in 2014, a couple of years after my husband died. Reading it now gives me hope that I’ll have the strength and resilience to navigate whatever lies ahead.
Life Is a Sacred Journey
Life is a sacred journey.
Each step of our journey
leaves an indelible mark on our souls.
The challenges you have been facing
have forced you to grow in ways
you might never have imagined—
BEFORE EVERYTHING CHANGED.
Before the curveball rocked your world.
Before your life veered unexpectedly
towards an unknown destination.
Before you became so weary
that you weren’t sure you could take another step.
Before you began to open your heart to possibility.
Before you discovered
that love makes the journey worthwhile.
And now, you stand here:
at the crossroads of your old life
and the person you are becoming.
Celebrate the opportunity
to re-envision your life’s purpose.
The time will come for your soul to soar.
Transition leads to transformation,
and you are on the path to wholeness.
Crossing the Great Divide
For me—and for so many people I love—2025 has been marked by loss, uncertainty, and life-shattering moments that changed the trajectory of our lives, forcing us to cross the Great Divide between the life we had and the new one we must now begin to live.
I wrote the reflection below as a way to pause, take a breath, and offer words of compassion—for myself, and for anyone who is carrying more than they ever imagined they could.
As the Year Draws to a Close
As this year draws to a close,
take time to reflect on your journey—
remember where you’ve been,
what you’ve carried,
what you feel called to do,
and the people and memories you hold close.
Give yourself permission to feel your feelings;
to accept that life can sometimes be deeply challenging,
and to release whatever has been keeping you from taking flight.
It’s okay to acknowledge how hard it’s been,
and to gently pat yourself on the back
for having made it this far.
Honor the moments shaped by fear and uncertainty,
when loss and darkness seared your soul.
Give thanks for the moments of awe, joy, and connection,
when light and love touched you deeply.
Embrace the path ahead
with as much compassion and grace
as you can muster.
And when you find yourself stumbling through
the desert of darkness and despair,
remember—your inner light endures.
Keep hoping.
Keep dreaming.
Keep believing.
Shine your light!
Weekly Guided Journaling Questions
Take some time this week to reflect on the following questions:
- As this year comes to a close, what are you most proud of having carried or survived?
- What is unfolding in your life right now?
- What helps you stay connected to hope when uncertainty feels overwhelming?
- As you enter the new year, what intention would you like to hold—not as a resolution, but as a guiding light?
A Closing Blessing
May you enter the new year
with a heart open to possibility.
May you trust that even in moments of doubt,
your inner light endures.
May you be present to
the love and the pain,
the hope and the joy,
that are part of your journey.
May 2026 be a year of good health and abundant blessings
for you and those you love.