This was an interesting week.

It started with a walk to City Hall to take care of some business.

I got up early in the morning put on my sneakers packed up the necessary papers and left to get there before it closed. (Whenever I hear the sentence “got up early in the morning ” I immediately think of Avraham Avinu saddling his donkey in preparation for Akeidas Yitzchak.)

One thing I learned is never set out on a bureaucracy trip without knowing that the first trip is usually a trial run.

After walking in circles I finally find the correct building. It’s only noon so I’m still early.

The guard lets me in and I ask which floor the licensing bureau is on. First floor he tells me but on Tuesdays the offices don’t open until 2 p.m.

I have to be home for my daughter at 2 p.m.

Trial run. And the great part is I wasn’t upset or frustrated for even a second.

Why? Because I planned for this.

The other night I was invited to my friend’s art gallery opening. She was showing the white marble sculptures of a very special artist named Rachel Tauber whose work is based on mizbeiyach ha’lev the altar of the heart. When my friend explained over the phone what I would be seeing if I came she told me that she’d once gone to Rachel Tauber’s studio and asked her “Where are all your machines and lasers?”

And Rachel Tauber held out the small hammer she uses to chisel all her masterpieces.

And I think about all the grandmothers over the course of our history who cooked with a small pot over one little fire and maybe a knife and a spoon or two. And how they carved out generations of masterpieces.

How?

Sacrifice.

One thing that stayed with me after my friend’s explanation was one of the sayings of this artist: “You can know who a person is by what he is willing to sacrifice for HaKadosh Baruch Hu.”

Our grandmothers understood that the altars of their hearts were for sacrifices. They planned for this.

This comes back to the trip to City Hall.

I planned for hard and I planned for disappointing. But I was committed to starting the process as best I could and willing to take the ride as it came.

Will we get it right the first try? Chances are no.

Will it possibly entail difficulties discomfort effort and money? Chances are yes.

When there is something or someone important to us we sacrifice.

We once had a guest who ate almost all our food himself as well as demanding a lot of emotional energy.

The first time he came I thought Poor thing he’s so hungry.

The second time I prepared more food.

And the third time.

And the fourth.

Then I decided I don’t want to do this. It’s too hard for me. So we canceled his next visit.

But I couldn’t live with myself. I spent half a day on the couch saying “I’m so tired” but I didn’t know why. Until I realized my heart wasn’t working well because it was all clogged up with “me.” Here was a lonely person and I can’t sacrifice a little comfort to alleviate his discomfort.

I got off the couch and went shopping for more food. I was ready when he came. Why? Because I know it’s in the plan.

Sacrifice.