Jodi Danis’ 2022 Passover Message

A Step Forward
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”
– Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher

This is the fourth Passover I’ve had the opportunity to share my thoughts as a staff member of the AJT. Not surprisingly, my recent reflections centered around COVID and its personal impact on my family and the holidays. This year’s prompt, “Getting to the other side,” led me to think about the journey we take to overcome life’s ups and downs, one step at a time.

Life is filled with so many wonderful moments but is not without difficulties at times: an unwelcome medical diagnosis; an unforeseen change in finances or career; the inevitable loss of a loved one. Yet we are stronger than we realize.

While the journey may not be what we expected, somehow we find the inner strength needed to face life’s challenges. If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that we can adapt and overcome unexpected hurdles when necessary. There is no fixed timeline to accomplish this, however. The path to “bounce back” sometimes takes longer than expected and doesn’t always follow a straight line.

But that’s okay. Small steps are still steps forward, and with love and support you eventually get to where you need to be.

This Passover, I am sending heartfelt prayers for peace, freedom, and strength to the Ukrainian people as they battle oppression and flee their homeland. It will be a long and difficult journey for them, and their struggles seem all too familiar this time of year.

As we read the Exodus story and recount the resiliency of our own people as they endured hardships on the path to freedom, remember the strength which we carry within ourselves to get through whatever life throws at us. One small step at a time.

Jodi Danis is the business manager for the Atlanta Jewish Times.