What's Water?

Two young fish are swimming along when an older fish swims by and says, "Morning boys. How's the water today?"

One fish turns to the other and asks:
"What's water?"

The fish is completely surrounded by water. Every moment of his life depends on it. Yet he doesn't notice it because it has always been there.

Sometimes that’s us.

If someone had shown you a snapshot of your life twenty years ago, there might be parts of it that would have seemed remarkable.

Maybe it's a relationship.
Maybe it's your health.
Maybe it's your family.
Maybe it's the fact that a problem that once kept you awake at night is no longer part of your life.

At the time, those things would have felt important. They occupied your thoughts and your prayers.

Then life moved on.

The Torah warns about this very human tendency. As the Jewish people prepared to enter Eretz Yisrael, Moshe Rabbeinu told them that there would come a time when they would build homes, succeed, and become comfortable.

"וְשָׁכַחְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ"

"And you will forget Hashem your G-d." (Devarim 8:14)

Many of the things we once hoped for become so familiar that we barely see them anymore.

Not because they aren't valuable.

Simply because they are always there.

Take a minute today and think of one thing in your life that has become ordinary.

Something that, years ago, you would have been grateful to have.

Just notice it.

Sometimes the things that matter most are hiding in plain sight, like water to a fish.