Enjoy, and Chag Sameach!
The SSU Team
John Wooden once famously said "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." With this statement, Coach Wooden made an important point: Don't be satisfied with what you have accomplished. Focus on what you can do moving forward to build on what you have already done.
In truth, there are two sides to this argument. On one hand, a person should be proud of the things he or she has accomplished. There is nothing wrong with looking back at time well spent or hard work and feeling a sense of pride.
However, as the great coach reminds us, it is important to strike a balance. Be proud with what you have done, but don't get stuck celebrating that accomplishment. Enjoy the moment, and then ask yourself "what can I do next?" Yes, teams celebrate winning semifinal games, but real winners are out there the next day preparing for the final game like nothing significant has been accomplished.
These two attitudes can be seen in the Gemara which discusses lighting Chanukah candles. The opinion of Beit Hillel is to light based on the number of days that have passed, while Beit Shammai say to light based on the number of days that are yet to come.
On Chanukah, a holiday when we celebrate victory, we are taught to keep both of these ideas in mind. Enjoy the accomplishment, be proud. But then get back to the business of hard work, which is the only way to get the next victory. I wish all SAR teams a year of celebrating victories and working towards even greater things. A freilichin Chanukah!
Mr. Daar
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