Lashon Hara

Hello Guys and Dolls,

Yom Kippur starts this evening at sundown... when I will be babysitting.
Frankly, I think babysitting is enough atonement for any wrongs I've done in the past 21 years of life, but maybe G-d doesn't see it that way.

But my G-d is a sensible one.  A rational one.  A one who understands what's in the heart of a 21 year old college student with too much ambition for her own good.

So am I fasting?
That's a yes, but I might not do a complete fast.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I won't.  I'm pretty sure I'll do a liquid fast, because if I don't wash my pills down with something I get sick to my stomach and vomit.  I've actually almost passed out a few times.  So I think I'll at least drink water and milk throughout the day (almond milk- I hate real milk).  They are both pretty thin, so I don't feel bad about it.  I know some people don't drink water, but frankly I think that's dangerous, especially for athletes.  I know a coxswain isn't really an athlete, but if my vocal chords get to dehydrated I could lose my voice and for a coxswain, no voice= BAD.

Anyway, like I said, G-d understands.

Even for non-religious reasons, I'm very excited for Yom Kippur this year.  It comes at the perfect time.  It's halfway through the calendar year, which means, if your New Years resolutions are slacking (I can't even remember what mine are) this gives me a perfect chance to get back on track.  Who do I want to be in the coming year?  What have I done well?  What do I need to do better.

Personally, one thing I need to do is gossip less!
I'm not really a huge gossip, but I have been getting caught up in a lot of crew drama lately- (of course!)
and I've been more loose-lipped then maybe I ought to have been.

And here's the hard part.
The Torah says that you should only think positively of people because then you will say positive things.  If you think negatively of people than the things you say are negative, even if you try to say nice things.
How can I think positively of people who are mean to me?  How can I think positively of people who treat me with disrespect or contempt?
I guess I have my work cut out for me.
I'll be spending my holiday trying to puzzle this one out.

Best wishes to everyone.

this religion stuff is hard...

ttyl,
Emme