I grew up in South America and moved to Los Angeles as a teenager. Years later, I became frum.
Over time, my extended family watched quietly—my dress, my choices, my commitment. I never preached. I just lived.
Years later, during a family Shabbos dinner, my cousin smiled and said:
“I remember you. Always dressed differently. And there was always a rabbi’s picture in the background.”
We looked around the table—half the family now frum—and laughed.
That’s when it hit me.
We never know who’s watching.
We never know which small choice plants a seed.
Swimming upstream isn’t easy.
But when it’s for Hashem, the current eventually carries you forward.