Sponge Over It

As a youngster in high school—ninth grade—I selected German for my language requirement believing that the Yiddish spoken at home by my parents would provide an easy flight path to learning the language. Of course, it did not. Recently, Patti and I were discussing the unique phrasing of the German language, which reminded me of the torturous class years ago and of some of the sayings the teacher had us memorize. One that became a benchmark for me was “Schwamm drüber,” which translates to “Sponge over it,” i.e., wipe away the negativity – it is best to move forward rather than dwelling on it. Our teacher that year struggled with those of us who could not grasp the lessons (while the kids with German-speaking parents played around with dirty jokes in German) so she used these phrases as a tool to help us connect to the language. The strategy proved engaging enough to get me through the semester albeit barely passing.

I have recalled that phrase over the years during different life events. I recognized at an early age that there were some opportunities beyond my intellectual abilities. That phrase set me straight after I was rejected by an Ivy League college. Instead, I ended up going to a state school in New Jersey that I had never visited before or had any clue about except for its location on a map. Then, I signed up as a pre-med major my freshman year, only to realize I could not compete with the brains in my biology classes. I naively thought that because I got an A in high school biology I could repeat that success in college. I switched to a history major before the end of the semester. In both cases, “sponging over” those initial disappointments served me well, as they led to many lifelong friendships through my fraternity and a rewarding career as a lawyer.

I can go on with numerous life experiences that did not always measure up to my expectations. Yet I pushed on through the frustration and disappointment I felt from the setbacks. I have found it is always better to face and solve a problem once and for all rather than live with regret, which only leads to defeat. “Schwamm drüber” still resonates with me, as I remain positive throughout my days.