Zodi Habit Magazine January-March 2016 Issue

REACHING
FOR INSIGHTS
Stories of Love, Faith, and
the Kitchen Sink
Reaching for Insights: Stories of Love, Faith, and the Kitchen Sink
is Mitch Rosenzweig’s thoughtful collection of rich vignettes that is
meaningful for people seeking inspiration, self-care, and a new way of
looking themselves and how they navigate life’s daily challenges. With
more than 200 brief essays penned from the author’s personal and
professional observations and experiences, there is something relateable
for anyone within this motivational treasure. At its core, this unique
and charming book attempts to access that well-defended sense of
self. The writings always start by looking at an ordinary situation, one
that most people can relate to-such as the angst of hosting the family
gathering for Thanksgiving, or getting lost from an errant GPS, or
the neighbor’s dog that incessantly barks-and then, through a twist,
a play on words, an analogy or a metaphor, reaching a different-but
meaningful-conclusion.
It’s a back-door approach to self-awareness and self-care that avoids
all of the disapproving junk that we all carry around. Although not
necessarily a life-changing shift, it helps to think about something in a
different way. This opens up new vistas for understanding and behavior.
By: Mitch Rosenzweig
do to make money, but what we are all about. Simple messages
that convey our values and character. Just reach into your
pocket and pass it out. It certainly would cut down on the
guessing and confusion.
What would your card say? Would it be covered in 6-point
font with all the things you think you are-barely readable,
but comprehensive? Would it include your life roles, such as
husband, wife, father or mother? Would it show an important
value or quality-like optimistic, or “I believe”? Perhaps it
would show your wishes or dreams. The possibilities are
seemingly endless. But of course, the more you cram on it the
more confusing it gets.
I know what mine would say. Clean and simple, with no flowery
distractions. Simple black and white type, with the largest font
that would fit. It would encompass everything I am and that I
value. Five words would say it all. With apologies to Descartes,
it would simply say: I care, therefore I am. What’s in your
pocket?
Now You Have Everything
At my house, everybody used to help out. And it seems it may be that way around the world. Why, it’s is almost
as much of a tradition as the meal itself. After hours of fussing in the kitchen and an equal amount of feasting,
laughing, and dessert-eating we all seemed to bond again around getting the remains cleaned up. The table
had been so full there was barely room for our plates. A dish for everything - and everything delicious. But with
all the anticipation and most of the food gone, the used dishes were piled on every surface and overflowing. From
fine china to burnt bean casserole, the debris was everywhere. You would have thought we fed the 7th Marines.
We didn’t have a dishwasher; we had five of them - and dryers too. Wrap, box, bag and put away the
leftovers and scale the mountain of dishes. Scrape, soak, wash, rinse, dry and put away. It seemed
endless. Although the work wasn’t enjoyable, we had fun, all laughing and smiling, everyone pitching
in, almost dancing in the kitchen. And just when you thought the last dish was done, a few more
would magically appear. It was hot and sweaty, but we didn’t mind... we were family.
In the joyful moments we forget about all the hard work that it took to get us to the feast and the challenges
that still await. For some, that may be the holiday buffet in our homes. For others, it is the promise of eternal
salvation. Either way, it takes work to get there. And there will always be dirty dishes left over from our banquet.
So as you plan and prepare in your life, wash away what is done and move toward your potential. Go
ahead and use a new dish for each of your accomplishments and challenges - there is plenty of room
on the table. It will all fit. When your day is done, take time to clean up and be grateful for those that
have helped you enjoy your buffet. Our feast is nothing more than a sandwich without them. Without
love we would certainly starve. And there is no such thing as unwanted leftovers of love.
When I think back on those long gone days it is not the dishes I remember. It’s the joy of
being together. Gathered around the kitchen sink, we washed ourselves clean of any other
junk that remained. And we had piles and piles of potential in the clean.
Heaven may have an amazing buffet, but I sure hope that it has dirty dishes. Gather around and
grab a cloth. Together, we can get it done. We can’t have everything without the kitchen sink.
The author’s candor and light-hearted approach, combined with simple
language and a dry sense of humor draws in the reader. Collectively
these stories remind us that we are not alone in our daily situations and
struggles. They encourage readers to view even the most mundane
parts of life from a different perspective, one that inspires them to
see life’s challenges and celebrations in a new light.
Rosenzweig has been a licensed Clinical Social Worker and
Psychotherapist for more than 25 years. Currently, he is working for the
Air Force in Washington State, helping active duty military servicemen
and servicewomen with their life challenges. Mitch holds a BA in
Psychology from Rutgers University and a Master’s in Social Work
from the University of Michigan.
Enjoy the following sample essays..........
Get Carded
Every place I worked, I would get new ones. If I had kept one
of each business card, I could have probably wallpapered my
house. Even though they all they were all the same, they were
different. Each was unique in color, photos, and design. But
in their essence, the function is the same: to proclaim, to the
lucky receiver, who you are and what you do, in tiny 6-point
font. Yup, in 3.5 x 2 inches, you’re supposed to say everything
someone needs to know about you.
How often we spend our time trying to figure out people. What
makes them tick-why would they act this way or that way, or
say something like that? We receive all kinds of messages, most
of the time mixed, about who they are trying to be or what they
are trying to communicate.
How simple life would be if we could just walk up to someone
and hand them a card that would say it all. Not what it is we
The Zone
At the gym, some of the equipment has them built right in;
you just grab them and they tell you all kinds of information.
Ideally, you are supposed to be at a certain heart rate,
to maximize your efforts. But to actually get an accurate
reading you either have to stop what you’re doing or, like me,
hold on to the handles for dear life until it registers. Without
them, it seems next to impossible to tell your heart rate or
pulse. Just because you’re tired or out of breath doesn’t mean
your workout has been effective. Too fast or too slow and you
are not in the critical zone.
Many of us spend our days trying to chillaxe, relax, detox,
and meditate away life’s challenges. Many things seem to
assault us each day that we need to overcome, get over, or
run away from. We seek solace in our own unique ways to get
rid of whatever the yuck might be. We dream of trouble-free
white sand beaches and tropical breezes. It is one of the most
common things discussed in counseling: how to let go and let
life. Many of us aren’t very good at it.
But if we spin too fast we burn more than calories. We wear
ourselves out from being on the edge of spent. And a life of
meditation offers no opportunity for growth or love. Without
things that make our heart race, we just exist fat and
unhappy. We are born to seize opportunities, risky or not, to
achieve our maximum potential. That moment when you first
know love, the exuberance of finding your purpose and “aha”
of understanding: these are the sweet spots of the critical zone.
Do one thing a day that scares you, something that thrills
you, settles you, and expresses your love and you will find your
sweet spot and achieve maximum potential.
Superman and Elvis Did, Too
I felt like Elvis, swiveling my hip into the slightly stuck front door; my hands were
full in my superhuman feat of carrying 14 plastic grocery bags in from the car.
Real men don’t make two trips. As it swung in a bit too fast, I heard a satisfying
“boing” and the door swung angrily back at me, knob into ribs. Ouch! Doorstop
must have been loaded and waiting for the unsuspecting. Although it saved
the wall from the hole-inserting doorknob, my ribs are a little offended
from its anger. A softer rebound and a louder expletive and I was inside.
Of course, we all know the metaphors about doors and the future. One open,
one shut, on the threshold, etcetera, etcetera...I confess that I have cheaply
used them a few times. Yawn. But what about the lowly doorstop silently
waiting for that flung door? No poems or prose written, it just sits there slightly
screwed waiting for its opportunity to serve. I am sure that none even give it a
second thought unless they have hound-dog hips and hit the door too hard.
But I am grateful for the doorstops in my world. Being a seeker and
adventurer, I always fling open doors. Forget the timid peek, let’s
rock that door open and see what is on the other side. Screaming fans,
adulation, love me tender? I am in! Well that is, until I go too hard
or too fast and then it’s nothing but heartbreak and bruised ribs.
Your doorstops are as important as your doors. They are there to stop you
when you go too far and prevent you from doing too much damage. They
serve to ground you when you go too fast and spring back with reality when you
think you are Superman or Elvis. Yet, they don’t inhibit your swinging groove and
are totally invisible when you are moving at the right speed. I am grateful to my
doorstops in life-mom, my family, and my faith for helping to slow me down when I go
too fast. A little poke in the ribs reminds me that I am not Superman, just plain ‘ole me.
But every once in a while I make the perfect entrance, and I can hear the
loudspeaker announcing, “Elvis has entered the building.”
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