Don't put off to tomorrow

Most people have heard the story of the Golden Calf. That's the oldie but goodie about Moses going up the mountain for 40 days, receiving the 10 Commandments from Gd, but because Moses meant 40 days PLUS the day he left,but the people thought he meant 40 days INCLUDING the day he left, so on the last day, the people panicked ("AHH! Moses hasn't come back and it's been 40 days and a few hours. He's deserted us, we're going to DIE!"), and resorted to their old idol-worshipping ways and built the Golden Calf. (btw, I used to get knocked down on grades in school for having run-on sentences. Some things never change.)

The reasoning behind the peoples' panic always bothered me. "Well, Moses said 40 days, but wasn't including the day he left, because it wasn't a full 24-hour day. The people thought he meant 40 daytimes, not necessarily 40, 24-hour periods." So what? Were the Jewish people so weak, such simpering wimps that ONE STINKING DAY made such a difference? They couldn't wait ONE MORE DAY before giving up all faith in the Gd they had just sworn to believe in and follow?! What's one day, anyway?

Then I joined the world of infertiles. One day can mean the difference between a successful trigger and an unsuccessful one. One day can mean the difference between a ready and willing uterine lining, and a thinning, not so accomodating one. One day can mean the difference between just-right eggs and overdone ova. 24 hours can mean the difference between a BFN and a BFP.

Having desperately watched the clock for fear that I might trigger too early or too late, I have new insight. With this new insight, I have a whole new appreciation for the fear that the Jews felt. One day can mean the difference between life and death.

posted by projgen @ 00:40