Do you like to have a plan?
I am what you would call a perpetual planner. I plan menus for dinner during the week, I plan my shopping list and schedule, my cooking schedule, my work schedule, even my laundry schedule!
Planning keeps me running at optimal speed with my, Thank G-d, busy household. The interesting thing with plans is that they don’t always work out.
Coming off of the holiday of Purim where plans were literally turned upside down and inside out, I feel like lately my plans have been slightly topsy turvy as well.
It started last week before Purim when the kitchen lay out was seemingly off. A quick calculation to my carefully laid plan showed that we were off by 10” on my high commodity counter space. Needless to say, I was frustrated and confused how carefully laid plans can come out wrong, and quite upset by the setback. In midst my conversation with our well meaning contractor, our son made a great saving suggestion to win back my coveted 10”. It has yet to be determined if the plan will work, as the decision seems to lie with the counter supplier who has yet to give his estimate.
I went out to cool off and try to think clearly. When I came back in to discuss with the contractor, he told me not to stress about it and we will work it out. My response to him is still quite baffling to me, knowing my need for planning. I responded, “I know things will work out. There is a plan here, I have just not been informed of what the exact plan is. I am frustrated as I like to be part of the planning process and heavily involved in the outcome. Yet, sometimes things are taken out of my hands and I have to remember that it is okay, it will be okay, and that there is a plan that will work and I will be accepting of it.” I don’t know if he understood all of my philosophy in that moment, although he seemed quite relieved, but it sure had impact on me.
This year has been trying, not just with our kitchen, but on many fronts. Yet we soldier on, not always knowing the plan, and sometimes getting frustrated. We always look to Hashem for strength, comfort and guidance.
Today was another one of those moments.I found out that our bungalow rental of the last nearly 10 summers was not going to be available to us again this summer, and that we would have to make other plans. However, instead of getting frustrated like I did with the contractor, I took it with such equanimity that even my husband asked if I was okay because of my seemingly lack of response to the change of plans that are so dear and sacred to our family, and quite frankly my sanity throughout the rest of the year.
I looked at him head on and said, “Yeah, I am okay. I know there is a plan in formation here, but I just haven’t been given all of the details yet. Something is unfolding before us and a great opportunity will become known soon enough. We just need to be open and ready for it. Because at the end of the day not I, the bungalow owner, the contractor or the counter supplier are in charge of the Master Plan. We are to do our part to the best of our ability with the circumstances given to us. The rest is in Hashem the Master Planner’s Hands.
Do I still like to plan? Yes of course I do! Especially with Pesach around the corner, how could I possibly not plan! But the important thing is to remember to go with the flow and be flexible when the plan is altered beyond our control.
This year I have taken the habit when I daven, to ask Hashem to help me in my planning. I think I know what needs to be done, but not always, and perhaps I don’t always have a good handle on how and when to do it.
I ask Hashem to help me to do and say the right things, in the right order, at the right time with the right actions and behaviors while focusing on serving Him.
This has given me great perspective on my efforts and my planning contribution towards the Master Plan of the Master Planner.
How will you make room in your planning for the Master Plan and the Master Planner?