Rosh Chodesh Elul

Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul. The day to start thinking about the next year. What am I going to work on for the next year? What will happen in my life? Who will come into my life and who will leave it? Today we start reading Tehillim #27, which has always spoken to me. "Hashem, hear my voice when I call, be gracious toward me and answer me." Isn't that what I ask for every day? For Hashem to be listening when I pray, when I shed tears, when I sincerely ask for His help. It amazes me that I can connect to these words that were written so long ago, that even King David wanted the same thing that I want. "Teach me your way, Hashem, and lead me on the path of integrity, because of my watchful foes." Help guide me in my actions, Hashem, because I know that everything I do can be used against me. "Strengthen yourself and He will give you courage" Please, Hashem, give me the courage to do what I know is right, even if it is not always popular, or easy. Elul is a time of reflection. Please let me have the courage to see myself in a true light, to objectively look at myself, and decide, first of all, what needs to be worked on, and secondly, what I can realistically accomplish in the next year. Thank you, Hashem, for all the blessings you have already given me. Please let me merit to have many more bestowed upon me in the future. Thank you, Hashem, for all the challenges you have given me, and the fact that you have also given me the strength I have needed to get through those challenges. Please let me merit to have more challenges, along with the tools to get through them, in the coming year. And please Hashem, for all of B'nai Yisrael, let everyone find the same strength and meaning, and foundation, that I have.