"Happiness" is the ability to enjoy what Gd has written for us.

"Happiness" is the ability to enjoy what Gd has written for us. Today is the first day of your life. Today is Yom Kippur. Today is the day that Gd seals your path during the next year of your life. Everything that happened previous? It's OK. On this day, Yom Kippur, you can live your life as though you have never made a mistake, never committed a sin, never done anything that was the least bit annoying, never done anything that you would prefer to forget, prefer that other people wouldn't remember. It's the first day. You are at the beginning. This first day, new beginning opportunity occurs every year on Yom Kippur.

It's true. Well, it's true for Jews.

Have you ever read one of those "choose your adventure" books? You know those books that you read a few chapters and then you're presented with a choice. The choice says, "Would you like to do this? Go to page... Would you like to do that? Go to page..." Have you read that sort of book? What I believe is most interesting about that sort of book is how the book handles the last choice. The last choice is the choice that leads to the end of the book. Once you've made the last choice, there are no other choices presented, no other paths to take. You simply read until you arrive at the end of the book.

Everyone has had that sort of experience in their life, that realization that they have arrived at the last choice. The college student sitting quietly, a mountain of books on the desk in front of him, while he looks at his girlfriend preparing for yet another night of partying, enjoying the pleasure of just looking at her because he knows that they are on different paths. Some people realize that they have made the last choice after it occurs. The man who arrives at his home while his wife is packing the car and moving out, the very event that led to her decision the only thought in his mind. What is that event? Only he knows.

At each Yom Kippur, we pray that Gd will seal the next year of our lives with joy and blessings that we would choose to have. However, the Book of Life is written by Gd. Knowing this to be true, we all pray, fast and do all that we believe would cajole, persuade and inspire Gd to write for us what we believe we would enjoy, because what Gd writes during Yom Kippur will be our life for the coming year.

We pray and fast for what we would like to have, but Gd is the author of the Book. "Happiness" is the ability to enjoy what Gd has written for us. Having a life that we enjoy is directly related to our ability to enjoy the "choose your adventure" book after we have made the last choice, when we simply read until we arrive at the end of the book.

What is the nature of the story of your life in light of the choices you have made, the "adventures" you have chosen? Do you like your life? Then ask Gd that your story continue with just as much joy as you have had and more. Would you prefer to have a different life? Then ask Gd to write a different story for you, one that you will love and enjoy.

Gd continues writing joyful stories for people who like their lives and Gd writes new and different stories for people who would like to evolve to something better. Gd does this every year.

It's true. Well, it's true for Jews.

Who is a "Jew"? A Jew is someone that Gd loves.

Believe that Gd loves you. Choose that adventure.