The Watch that Lived Twice

Once upon a time my husband bought me a watch. It wasn’t just any watch. It was a watch from America. I find it so amusing that Israelis think everything from America is high status or something, when in reality almost everything from America comes from China. But whatever – people see what they want to see.

 

So I have this gorgeous watch that I wear every day. It’s a stainless steel watch with a white face and fake diamond bezel. Love it! But a few weeks ago I did something very stupid.

 

When we were in Netanya we took the kids to the beach in the late afternoons. It was so beautiful! On the last afternoon, I decided to go for a run along the beach. What a magical experience! I felt so free, so alive! After a while I decided that I wanted to be able to run back, so I stopped running and dove into the waves. It was just delicious! I hadn’t been in the ocean in SIX years, so it was truly a special experience. Holy, even.

 

After a while I realized that David might get worried because I was so far from everyone and had been gone for a while. So I started to run back. Except running back wasn’t nearly as fun because the wind was pushing against me and my clothes weighed more than I did, plus I was tired. By the time I got back I was panting like a dog that had been chasing a tennis ball into the waves for the past 30 minutes.

 

All in all it was a fantastic vacation. The next day, as we were packing to leave, I realized that my watch had stopped working. I took it a few days later to the guy that fixes watches and toilets. Just kidding. He fixes watches and cuts hair. And sells jewelry. No toilets on the resume.

 

I spent the next few days in frustration because I kept looking at my wrist only to realize that my watch wasn’t there. How annoying! I must have done it like 50 times a day.

 

An eternity or a week later, I can’t remember which, the watch plumber/jeweler called me and said that the watch is dead. “NOOOOOOO!!!”  I screamed into the phone. “CURSE YOU, MR. WATCH FIXER GUY WHO CAN’T FIX WATCHES!” I yelled at him. (BTW, if any of you can tell me which movie character that resembled, send in a comment! I’ll be highly impressed!)

 

Then, for some reason, he said, “Don’t worry, I have plenty of nice watches you can buy.” Oh, boy. Who did he think he was dealing with? I ain’t goin’ down without a fight. “No, thanks, Mr. Watch Killer,” I told him. “I will wear my watch dead or alive, so put it back together and let me wear it in peace and high style.”

 

He refused to back down, and we went at it until he realized that I am a crazy Iraqi that won’t give up on what I want. Exasperated, he finally said that he would put the watch back together even though it was completely rusted inside. He told me I could pick it up the next day.

 

The next day comes around, and the day after that, and still I hadn’t managed to drive to his house two streets away to pick up my watch. OMG now I just remembered I owe the washing machine technician money.

 

Watch Killa’ be callin’ me, and I’m expecting him to tell me to get my broke watch out his store. Instead, he told me something shocking…

 

“I can’t believe it, but your watch is working!” he exclaims in shock and bewilderment. “BOOYAH!” I yelled at him over the phone. I picked it up, gleeful over the fact that I wasn’t suckered into buying a new watch unnecessarily, but even more gleeful over the fact that he was WRONG.

 

G-d I love saying that.

 

But wait! There’s more!

 

So I wore the watch that lived twice for a few weeks, until suddenly, it stopped working again! But you know me. I don’t care. If it looks good, I’m wearing it whether it works or not. So I wore it proudly, constantly forgetting that it didn’t work and constantly getting upset that I was constantly forgetting. I consoled myself with the realization that my watch was right two times every day.

 

And just as suddenly, a few days later, it started working again! Thank G-d it has been working since!

 

So what did I learn from all this? Well, I’m really not sure. Maybe I learned that if I accept a situation just as well when things aren’t working versus when they are working, then there is a high likelihood that Hashem will make everything work out again. Because I showed Him that I’ll wear that watch no matter what, He decided to just make the watch work, because why not? I’m already wearing it, so I might as well enjoy it, He figured.

 

Do you get the strange way I’m making my point? If we accept a situation even when it’s not what we want, Hashem can – literally in one second – turn it around and make it work out exactly the way we want it to!

 

Now let me be very clear: accepting a situation doesn’t mean that you give up trying to change it!! It means that for the time being, you do your best to realize that this is a temporary challenge that Hashem wants you to go through, and you pray and do your maximum effort to improve it. Acceptance does not mean being passive and giving up! Many people unfortunately misunderstand this point.

 

So in the end, everything worked out. That is, until my little boyfriend that can do no wrong decided to hide my watch for a week and not tell me where he put it, all the while demanding that I buy him an iced coffee and give him money. G-d I love that boy!!