I am inching gingerly toward Yom Kippur, looking inward with an annointed and decidedly human magnifying glass. I have had more foot-in-mouth moments than I care to admit over the past year, made messes and stepped on people's tender hearts even when my intention was otherwise.
I am grateful to Brene Brown for sanctifying imperfection, and to Rabbi James Stone Goodman for offering this beautiful poem/prayer in the spirit of teshuvah.
Kol Nidre
I am an imperfect perfection
G*d has blundered more than once
in creating me whole
with broken parts.
I have learned
that all my broken parts are whole
and even if not —
none of us are partial
we are all miniatures of Hashem
in some inscrutable way
that will clarify if not in this world
in the next.
I apologize
for anything I have said or done
intentionally or inadvertently
in the past year
or I may do or say in the year to come
that has hurt or may hurt
in any misconstrued way —
forgive me.
I need you more than you know,
your friend
always,
jsg, usa
If I run into the angel Gabriel
I will tell him how fine fine super-fine
you are.