Waiting for Home: A Father and His Son
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I was scheduled to leave for Thursday morning and return Friday morning on a night flight. On Monday, I Skyped with my family. My son, full of excitement, ran to the computer screen and shouted, “Daddy! Daddy!” It was so much fun seeing him from Israel.
After everyone left, my son came back to me with a serious look. “Daddy, something happened at school. I need to talk to you.”
I said, “Sure, we can talk now.”
“No, I need to talk to you personally,” he said.
I explained, “I’m in Israel, honey. I can’t come home tomorrow.”
He persisted: “Please, can you take a flight home tonight? I can’t talk to you over the computer. I need you in person.”
I told him, “I can’t. My ticket is for Thursday night.”
“But I have money from Hanukkah. I’ll buy your ticket!” he insisted.
I replied, “You can’t buy me a ticket.”
“But I thought you love me. I need you! I want to talk to you tomorrow. Not on Skype, but in person!”
He begged, and I held firm, saying, “I can’t, honey.”
He asked, “What do I need to do to make you come home tomorrow?”
I almost gave in. I was this close. But I reminded myself: sometimes timing matters, and commitments are there for a reason.
And yet… his words stayed with me. When your child tells you, ‘I need you,’ it’s not enough to talk over the computer. You have to be there. Physically. Heart to heart.
Parents, think about it: how often do we rely on calls, messages, or video chats as substitutes for true presence? We see them on screens, but we don’t feel them in the house. We can watch them, but we don’t hold them. And when they reach out for us… that is when we understand the meaning of responsibility.
This is the same lesson in life and faith. We wait for Hashem to reveal Himself. We say, “Come, reveal Yourself, bring redemption, bring home Your presence.” Why should God act? One simple reason: we are waiting.
Just like my son waited for me at the door, counting minutes, wanting to be heard and seen, so too does the world wait. And when we take responsibility—truly, completely—we invite the Divine presence into our homes, into our lives, and into our generation.
It’s ours to care for. It’s ours to call home. And when we do, everything else falls into place.