Toronto, Here I Come.

I can't believe it is almost here --- and I really can't believe that I'm sick.  I'm so much better than I was on Sunday, but I'm not 100%.  I'd be lying if I said otherwise.  But, I'm going to do it.  I'm going to cross the finish line.  It won't be at the pace I wanted or in the time I wanted, but that is OK.  I'm going to finish.  It's about being accountable to myself. 

As I have mentioned before, there are 3 women who I speak to every Friday before Shabbat --- Elyse, Lory, and Marnie.  This weekend marks my last one as an official member of the JFNA NYLC.  It's been a wild a crazy 6 years, but through it I have met these 3 amazing women and many others who will be friends for life.  Initially, every Friday I sent out a "d'var torah" to these 3 women --- a little explanation of the torah portion for the week.  I was good about that for a year, but after that it became sporadic, at best.  This week, though, I sent out a d'var (I did it today, in stead of Friday, as I will be on my way to Toronto tomorrow).  And, it is pretty cool that I get to spend my last Shabbat as a NYLC member with my Cabinet chevre (Hebrew for friends) in Toronto ---- Elyse, Jody (aka Mrs. McDreamy), and Sara.

The torah portion this week is Bamidbar, the first portion from the Book of Numbers.  It deals with big questions like what spiritual lessons can be learned from counting people and who "counts" in the larger sense.  Pretty heavy stuff.  The conclusion that I came to is that being accountable is more important than counting.  In trying to equate it to the task in front of me on Sunday --- it is more about me being accountable by crossing the finish line, in whatever form and fashion, than about counting the time (at least for this weekend).  Finishing shows me being accountable to myself, to those who I made this stupid bet with, and to those who I have trained with and have motivated and inspired me. You see, it is through these 3 incredible women --- one who is also running the race on Sunday (well, Elyse and Sara are) --- that I learned about the importance of being accountable to myself.  They are the ones who have pushed me, prodded me, and stood by me during this journey.

Sure, I haven't even left New Orleans but the nerves have already started.  But that is normal.  Those will fade once the starting gun goes off on Sunday and I begin to put one foot in front of the other.  Sunday will be the first of many.  And, as my amazing doctors have reminded me all week --- my time can only improve from Sunday.

More from Toronto.