So then we threw our sins away, but some of us claimed they didn't have any

Yesterday, at dusk, I took the kids to a river near our house to dispose of our sins. One of my favorite traditions, it's typically done on the first or second day of the Jewish New Year and is known as "tashlich" (which means to cast off). As you toss bits of bread into the water, you are symbolically casting away your sins—technically, this does not count as pollution—and starting the year with a clean slate.

Dave was traveling, but that was OK because I had enough sins for two people, if you ask SOME people in my family who may or may not be a teen girl. Max hasn't been interested in participating before but he's been experiencing major FOMO lately and was gung-ho to come along. I'd explained that we were throwing away our bad behavior, and asked if he'd behaved badly during the past year.

"No," he said.

I've facilitated many things in Max's life, but making him account for his sins was new for both of us.

"What about when you yelled at Daddy?" Sabrina said, helpfully.

"What about that time when you hit the Uber driver?" I noted. (Because he was not driving him to California.)

"No!" he said. But he tossed his bits of bread anyway. I think he got it, he just didn't want to own it.

Sabrina threw her pieces in, looking pensive.

Ben said, "I just want to feed the ducks."

Then everyone was waiting for me, so I quickly pondered my sins of the past year (not sharing though who knows, perhaps someday they could be a miniseries, ha ha ha). After, we drove around because it was a beautiful night out and nobody wanted to go home just yet. I pretended we were in Florida and then California. I pointed out palm trees and Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck sightings, and Ben and Max giggled. Of course, we drove by the Los Angeles fire station for Max. Then Ben randomly announced, "Max, remember when you were a baby and I held you?" and I laughed so hard I couldn't even tell him just how impossible that was.

Back at home, we hung on the porch and I served apple slices and honey, another tradition—they're for a sweet new year. Sabrina snuggled with Ben on a chair. I sat besides Max on our rocking bench. It felt so peaceful.