So Covid restrictions are lifting. You are likely to be facing family members in-person (and maybe still on ZOOM), which perhaps you haven’t really seen in over a year. 

Are you excited to celebrate the upcoming Seder together? Or, are you a little bit hesitant?

We are in some unprecedented times with many of us feeling the pressure of the pandemic and the toll it may have taken on our relationships, our children’s education, our careers, the stability of our country, and the polarization of our politics.

Passover, and Spring in general, are the times to focus on renewal. The story of Passover also reminds us to be mindful of freedom from bondage. This bondage, or the state of being a slave, can apply also to the bondage we place ourselves in. We do this often ,by not having strong enough boundaries and giving our power away to others by getting easily riled up by what they say, the looks they give, the body language they display… 

The reality is, our closest loved ones -or even perfect strangers online-, can get a reaction from us because -without even their knowing- they often hold up mirrors to our own unresolved issues, fears, and even unmet needs. 

It is not often easy to bury these real feelings under the Seder tablecloths with the Afikomen, yet so often, we try and do. 

This upcoming Seder can present an opportunity to stay in control of what you want to be available for, and what you don’t! 

What does renewal and liberation look like for YOU?

Here are some helpful tips: Before the Seder, take a few minutes for some deep breathes and identify the topics, the comments, (and the eye rolls) from which parent, uncle, aunt, sibling, who may have the most triggering effects. Whether you are single and its comments on your relationship status or, married and its comments on your parenting