49. Time to go Home

There is a special energy that we feel on Selichos night.

It suddenly hits us that the year is almost over.
That we're about to start the cycle over yet again.

How did time fly so quickly?!

There is an excitement about the new year and new opportunities to come, but also a wonder, of where has this past year gone?

We have accomplished so much good!
Yet we still haven't reached our ultimate goal!

But there's still a few days left to make it happen _this_ year.
And now is the easiest time because the King is in the Field.

True, we are way too busy with all our work "in the field" to think about its ultimate purpose - "the King".
But if there's ever a time it's possible, it's now!
Because He's here, really close to us, so we don't need to search anywhere too far!
All we have to do is stop what we're doing, no matter how busy it is, and notice the King standing right near us, waiting for our attention.

Thank Gd, mostly,
our work is all just for Him!
And we love all we're doing!
And we're grateful for the opportunity to plant and sow and watch things grow!

We have the most wonderful job in the world!
And the King gets great pleasure from it all.

But He doesn't just want us to keep working like this forever!

Every job must have an end!
Every journey must have a destination!
Every race must have a finish line!

It's time to tell the King,
That we're ready to let go,
ready to put down the shovel,
ready to see Him in His full glory,
ready to receive our full payment-
for thousands of years of labor,
ready to enjoy the delicious fruits -
of all we've planted all these years!

Because we've grown enough to last us forever!

It's time to just stop and gather it in,
It's time to go home to His Palace, with Him
It's time to rejoice together as one
As we watch the field itself become
A peaceful extension of his Royal Palace.

לע״נ ר׳ מנחם מאיר בן ר׳ חיים משה יהודה הכהן ע״ה