Putting A Spin On It: Seeing Things From A Different Perspective

Speaker: Sharsheret’s Clinical Supervisor Shera Dubitsky, MEd, MA

Imagine you are at a family Chanukah party. Latkes (potato pancakes) have been eaten, candles are lit, and it’s time to gather for a game of dreidel (spinning top).  Everyone finds a position at the table, the chocolate coins are distributed, and the dreidel is placed in the center.  Everyone antes up.

The game does not start while the dreidel remains idle on the table.  If you stand the dreidel up, it will tip over.  You have to spin the dreidel to keep it standing.  You have to spin the dreidel to make the game meaningful and everyone has their own unique way to spin.

The letters on the side of the dreidel indicate how you will fare during that turn.  Will your spin of the dreidel result in needing to put more into the pot?  Will you walk away with something?  Half?  The whole thing?  Where will things stand on your next turn?

When you experience medical or emotional challenges, you may feel like you are spinning.  You may not know where you are going to land.  Going through the motions of doctor appointments and treatment is critical for survival.  Your own technique of how you spin the experience is helpful in finding meaning. The personal spin you put on it can move you beyond surviving to thriving.

It can be hard to find the right spin.  It can be tiring to have to put a good spin on things during each step of this journey.  You may be asked to ante up again emotionally and worry that your resources will run dry.  Remember that there is always the next turn.  Stay in the game.  Continue trying to bring meaning to this experience.  Who knows?  On your next turn you may walk away with a stack of chocolate coins that when unwrapped will reveal that you’ve learned something new about yourself.

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