What stories do you tell yourself?

On Yom Kippur I deny myself food and water, but not the act of applying my Writer's Brain. Here are some thoughts I have on the holiest day of the year.

This year, I’m in LA for the high holidays. Unlike Denver which is probably holding another lovely free service in the botanic gardens at this very moment, in LA you need to buy a ticket to attend services.

Yes, the situation Larry David depicted in the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm entitled “The Larry David Sandwich” is real. Yom Kippur tickets are a thing, and they can run anywhere from $300-500.

Unfortunately, that was a bit out of my price range. So, I’m here at home fasting alone, but because I am, I can open my laptop and share this newsletter while the thoughts are fresh in my mind.

I’m streaming the services currently taking place at IKAR in Los Angeles, and Rabbi Sharon Brous just gave a moving sermon about the idea of stories.

She argued that stories define our history as a species, providing an example in the story of Abraham and his sons. To make a very, very long story short, Abraham banished one of his sons, Ishmael, from his home. Then, Abraham almost sacrificed his other son, Isaac.

At its core, Rabbi Brous claimed, this is a story of “this house isn’t big enough for the both of us.” A story of exclusion, otherism, and rejection. Moreover, she contended that Abraham’s rejection of his son Ishmael hardened his heart to where he would consider sacrificing his other son rather than protecting him as a father should.

The story of Abraham and his sons has been passed down over thousands of years, and today the stories of exclusion, otherism, and rejection still pervade our world, leading to pain, suffering, and death. Some of these stories are directly correlated to that of Abraham as well.

Rabbi Brous then went on to frame this idea through an optimistic lens. Because such pain, suffering, and death are the result of a story, we have the power to write a new story, regardless of how old it may be.

I found this incredibly moving because she, someone who has dedicated her life to Judaism, denounced one of the oldest stories told in the Torah. This honors a core tenet of our religion. Instead of exalting these ancient writings as law, Jews apply critical thinking and self-awareness toward change for the better.

I also found this incredibly relatable, because we are all driven forward by stories, most of which we tell ourselves about ourselves. Some of these are favorable. Some of them aren’t. In truth, the stories we tell ourselves are most often what hold us back in life:

“I’m not good enough.”

“It’s too hard.”

“I don’t have time.”

“It’s too late.”

So today I ask, what stories are you telling yourself? Are there any you can denounce? Even if you’ve been telling them for your entire life.