The high ceiling in our Chabad House gives the place a welcoming, spacious feel. But, for a three year old coming in from a party, it's a balloon trap.
Young J strolled in to Shul, helium balloon in hand, happy and smiling. In an instant, the balloon slipped out of his grip and floated up and out of reach of even our tallest member.
J's smile disintegrated. He wailed and pounded and shouted about his lost balloon and how he wanted it back "now". His red-faced father had to swiftly escort him out of the room to locate a new balloon from the party downstairs.
Three minutes later, J was back with his new lilac balloon (this time firmly tied to his wrist). His smile was back. The balloon that got away was altogether forgotten.
And I wondered: How often do we lose something transient- the chance to watch the game, what the other person ordered at the restaurant, money- and we fret, pound and howl?
Too often, we revert to behaving like kids when those things we believe we need slip from our reach.
Yet somehow, we can't revert to behave like kids, who quickly move on, find a new focus and forget about the "important" stuff that they had lost.
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