I'm a bad Jew

I'm sure I tempt fate in admitting I'm not an overly religious soul. I've never been particularly good at remembering the intricacies of prayer, and often find myself skipping to the wrong page, choosing the wrong tune or otherwise stumbling over myself as I try to keep up with everyone around me. I do my best, but I often fret that it isn't nearly good enough and joke to my wife that I should wear a "Bad Jew" sign wherever I go because I always seem to muck it up despite my best intentions.

Still, in the eight months since my father passed away (it still stings to write it, and I guess it always will) I've found great comfort in reconnecting with who I am and where I come from. I've found it peaceful to head to synagogue in the predawn darkness, because doing so not only gives me a brief slice of time with a similarly devoted group of really kind members of my community - another family, really - but it gives me an opportunity, as I drive alone, to reflect on what's changed, and how I've had to change as a result.

I'm going to guess, hopefully, that wherever G-d is, I'm not being judged on my current ability to read out of a prayer book or lead others in the service (I'm working on it), but on how I'm trying hard to leverage the experience of connecting with community to become a better person. I'm going to guess that the spirit of a thing matters more than the letter of it.

Your turn: Please share a tip on how to be a better person, because I can use all the help I can get!