In B’shalach, the Israelites have a dizzying series of peak experiences in a very short period of time. Some of the events in this portion are so significant that we continue to mark them to this day. Moses and the Israelites are all changed by these encounters, and thousands of years later, we keep wrestling with them, extracting wisdom and blessings that continue to give meaning and direction to our lives. In this portion we see some of the most intense moments of the journey to liberation-the Israelites streaming out of Egypt, pursued by Pharoah’s army, trapped at the shores of the Sea of Reeds, and then experiencing a miracle as God, through Moses, parts the waters so they can continue their march to freedom. The Egyptian army is destroyed, and the Israelites celebrate their liberation with music and dance. Resuming their journey but under-equipped for life in the wilderness, God provides manna to eat. Finally, they are attacked by the Amalekites, who become the paradigmatic enemy of Israel throughout Jewish history. Life can be like this-some phases are full (even over-full) of action, drama, and change. College can feel that way, but so are the first few years of a baby’s development, parenting small children, or reinvention after divorce or the death of a spouse. Other phases can feel like they unfold more slowly, and there are times when we all feel stuck in the wilderness, when life feels more like a trudge through the desert than a respite at a lush oasis. Sometimes, it’s both. Learning to hold your equilibrium and find equanimity when life runs too fast or too slow are some of the great challenges of “adulting.” My students are often overwhelmed by their busy-ness and the pressures they feel; 25 years after my own college experience I sometimes want to laugh and say, “you will never have this much free time and autonomy again,” but I bite my tongue because I know this response isn’t helpful. I see them agonize about the choice of a major or an internship and think, you don’t have to map out your whole life right now; in fact you can’t-so much will change, and so will you! I wonder about how my perspective will shift 25 years from where I am now…what wisdom would someone in their sixties or eighties have for people in their forties? How would the sentence “Just you wait and see…” end when it comes from their lived experience? Last week, the Israelites were in such a hurry that they threw dough on their backs rather than wait for bread to rise. This week, God intentionally slows them down, teaching us the wisdom of waiting to allow things to develop. We read in Exodus 13:18, “God led the people roundabout, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds.” It’s a busy time and they’ve got work to do-the Israelites know their destination and have a lot of ground to cover. Why not choose the most efficient route? Instinctively, that’s what most of us would likely choose. But the 11th century commentator Rashi says that if they took the direct route to Canaan, they would simply turn back. Leading them along the slower route was a way of making sure they got to the Promised Land prepared for the battles ahead. A half-century later, Ibn Ezra extends this insight by noting that had the Israelites taken the direct route (a 10-day journey), they would have arrived still incapable of handling the task ahead. He points out “the Israelites had never seen war and had been other men’s slaves. When Pharoah came after them, not one of [the Israelites] lifted [their] hand against them.” God understood, even if the Israelites did not, that it would take time for the people to become who they needed to be to fulfill their destiny; the less direct route gave them time to grow into their potential. It is part of the wonder and challenge of being human that we operate on many timelines at once. We shape and are shaped by the present moment, our stage of life, and the era of history we find ourselves in. We perceive so much and so little all at the same time. We can recognize this paradox in the stories of our ancestors. We learn from them-from their triumphs and their mistakes, just as those who follow will learn from us. A final thought for those who might be struggling to find their equilibrium right now: B’shalach reminds us that as each individual and generation makes their way, imperfectly, through the incredible gift that is life, above and through it all flows the divine holiness that is God. This is a powerful anchor when we feel overwhelmed or adrift. As the Israelites sang in the last line of the Song of the Sea, and as we repeat in communities and congregations every day around the world: “Adonai yimloch l’olam va’ed” (God reigns forever). Whatever the vicissitudes and uncertainties of the moment, God will reign forever and ever. I find myself repeating this line when my life or the world seem to be spinning out of control. It steadies me and helps me remember that there are things I can affect and things I cannot, to focus on the work that is mine to do and have faith in God to help us all navigate both the deep waters and the narrow places.