I have just now considered the people in my life who I love deeply.
Who I may not see or talk to for months, even years for one, and when we do we automatically go deep, our conversation goes to the heart of the matter, quickly, easily, effortlessly.
I counted a goodly six to nine of such friends. Those who I could call day or night, for anything. Those who I love and trust with my life.
I visited these friends early this November and all too briefly, revived the connection with them.
I wish to be always able to help create sparks of connection, and love.
I am counting Helena as one of these friends. She has careened into the ranks of 'Those Who I love and Trust With My Life' in such a short time. She has done what it took 20 to 30 years for the others to attain, in only a year. She has become one of the people who I love deeply.
We will be deep and excellent friends. We both want this.
Thus, I have opened myself up again to Adonai, to the Universe, to my fate. I have opened myself to the possibilities of touch, with whomever Adonai brings into my life. I have examined my heart, I know my heart; it can handle deep love, deep friendship, with yet another woman.
November 28, 2010
November 18, 2010
Adonai Adonai Adonai
I am so grateful that I have another way of calling to God.
I now call out ADONAI, ADONAI, ADONAI as I take my nightly walk. ADONAI is now added to the other names I have for God, Sovereign of the Universe, Eternal One, Formless One, One found in each of Us.
I now say the Sh'ma Yisrael and blessings for the return of my soul...daily.
Blessed is God's glorious majesty foreveer and ever!
I now have new words to sing the praises of this God, this Being, this Force, this Goodness which I experience daily; which I truly cannot say exactly what/who/where She/He/It is, but I know it is there/here/in my life...daily.
I am so happy to have more ways, exquisite ways, more words, prayers, psalms, songs, poetry, more people I have come to appreciate and love, more ways to praise God.
I am so happy that I have found Judaism.
I now call out ADONAI, ADONAI, ADONAI as I take my nightly walk. ADONAI is now added to the other names I have for God, Sovereign of the Universe, Eternal One, Formless One, One found in each of Us.
I now say the Sh'ma Yisrael and blessings for the return of my soul...daily.
Blessed is God's glorious majesty foreveer and ever!
I now have new words to sing the praises of this God, this Being, this Force, this Goodness which I experience daily; which I truly cannot say exactly what/who/where She/He/It is, but I know it is there/here/in my life...daily.
I am so happy to have more ways, exquisite ways, more words, prayers, psalms, songs, poetry, more people I have come to appreciate and love, more ways to praise God.
I am so happy that I have found Judaism.
November 16, 2010
Amazing Women
Today I had the privilege of teaching seven breast cancer survivors. They had asked me to present nutrition information to their weekly group hosted by a local regional medical center. I did my best to provide a summary of how to eat optimally, how to conceptualize and create, very practically, a pattern of best nutrition.
[If interested, please read my Nutrition piece on the right hand side of my Writing page on www.eldermuse.net.]
From the moment I walked into the meeting room and was greeted by the first woman there, I knew that I was not dealing with an ordinary group. As they kept arriving and talking, I was struck by their honesty and forthrightness in dealing with their struggle with mortality.
They are dealing with the matter-of-fact reality of women having to drastically change their priorities, their attitudes about themselves, about how they look, how their bodies appear to the world, about care of themselves, about care of loved ones now, and after; about interfacing with an entire medical community which they'd heretofore never even considered maybe never even knew existed
They have each spent a good chunk of their lives keeping appointments which no one truly believes they will ever have to make. They have chosen to place their lives in the hands of medical doctors who they have come to love and trust. Some have always or newly loved God and are using Religious Faith to heal. Some have totally embraced the fact of loving themselves, living day to day, attempting to not think of the future. Some of these women understand the need to live life consciously, deliberately, lovingly, with gratitude and appreciation, with awe and wonder and joy, daily. Marilyn told me that this is how she lives. Marilyn shines.
Each is coping with everything the typical middle aged or older woman faces, everything that goes wrong, that can go wrong, in our ordinary lives, getting into the world, interacting with the world, dealing with spouses, family, friends, work, chores....they face what everywoman typically faces, plus they top this off with the daily recognition of loss.
I shared what I know about eating to keep us whole, eating to help mend the world, eating with love for our bodies, eating for joy and flavor and pleasure. I attempted to summarize hours of what I would want to tell them in too short a time.
Thus I realize as I write about seeing these Amazing Women that I want to return regularly to be surrounded by women who are dealing with some of the deepest feelings a human will ever have.
[If interested, please read my Nutrition piece on the right hand side of my Writing page on www.eldermuse.net.]
From the moment I walked into the meeting room and was greeted by the first woman there, I knew that I was not dealing with an ordinary group. As they kept arriving and talking, I was struck by their honesty and forthrightness in dealing with their struggle with mortality.
They are dealing with the matter-of-fact reality of women having to drastically change their priorities, their attitudes about themselves, about how they look, how their bodies appear to the world, about care of themselves, about care of loved ones now, and after; about interfacing with an entire medical community which they'd heretofore never even considered maybe never even knew existed
They have each spent a good chunk of their lives keeping appointments which no one truly believes they will ever have to make. They have chosen to place their lives in the hands of medical doctors who they have come to love and trust. Some have always or newly loved God and are using Religious Faith to heal. Some have totally embraced the fact of loving themselves, living day to day, attempting to not think of the future. Some of these women understand the need to live life consciously, deliberately, lovingly, with gratitude and appreciation, with awe and wonder and joy, daily. Marilyn told me that this is how she lives. Marilyn shines.
Each is coping with everything the typical middle aged or older woman faces, everything that goes wrong, that can go wrong, in our ordinary lives, getting into the world, interacting with the world, dealing with spouses, family, friends, work, chores....they face what everywoman typically faces, plus they top this off with the daily recognition of loss.
I shared what I know about eating to keep us whole, eating to help mend the world, eating with love for our bodies, eating for joy and flavor and pleasure. I attempted to summarize hours of what I would want to tell them in too short a time.
Thus I realize as I write about seeing these Amazing Women that I want to return regularly to be surrounded by women who are dealing with some of the deepest feelings a human will ever have.
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