no struggle

there was one other issue that was discussed at the srugim  screening yesterday that i would like to share with you. one thing amos tamam suggested that there are two types of people who are modern orthodox. there are those who have the struggle to strike the balance between being secular and between being religious and then there are those who are at peace being part of both worlds and at peace with who they are and he suggested that this was a  better way to be. there does not have to be a struggle.
i found this concept profound because i never had thought of it like that before. i never thought that there would be a struggle even though i know that that struggle often pushes some off the derech. someone off the derech told me that they admired the struggle that modern orthodox people had over being part of the world and being frum. i had found it funny at the time because i never thought of it as a struggle at all because being orthodox and enjoying the world was always a part of my life . i never thought that i was missing anything by being religious because i was also always able part of the secular world as a frum person. i am used to being the different one at work yet able to be part of the chevra  , not the oddball.  i value being an observant jew. i do not think that life is all or nothing as many do. there is a lot of trief in the world , but not everything is trief . i could not be frum if i lived with blinders on and never enjoyed anything secular.that which is secular in my life enhances the religous side of my life . i feel secure enough to be my own person. those who don't respect you might not respect you even if you weren't frum.
i used the label modern orthodox here, but i include anyone who is orthodox regarding this issue. life is all about balance .