Shalom dear readers:
Wherever we are in this world, we are all in the world of corona. How are we coping, accepting, this drastic change in our lives? All is new, different, strange, frightening, threatening, and forcing upon us a time of total abstinence from the outside world, of shopping, meeting friends, enjoying a coffee , going to movies, etc.
For those of us who are ill with a specific illness, we have had practice in being alone in our home, apart from the world outside with life in its fullest of running, walking, visiting, enjoying.
How does this 'being totally isolated' feeling affect us? Are we able to accept the difficulties presented in this corona attack, and somehow rise to the occasion as we have during our past and present difficulties?
I challenge each of us to draw on memories or friendships past and present that give us some hope, some encouragement during this spreading virus period.
For example, when I had to prepare and spend a Pesach seder all alone (for the first time), I was simply blown away! me, prepare and do a seder totally alone? But lo and behold, beyond the upset of the unbelievable, unacceptable spot I found myself in, I was reminded by an old memory of my mother choosing to not come for the Sabbath week=ends , insisting that
she would NOT be alone-why the Almighty would be with her!
So I said to myself that I will rely on the One above to guide me through this unacceptable period and be there with me! Difficult it was, but I DID IT! And all of you can do the unthinkable when presented with it! let's turn the impossible into I will try, I will do it!
My plans for part of the holiday were to go a hotel and save much preparations in the kitchen. I loved the idea. After all fell through, thanks to the corona situation, I looked around and saw just what a lovely home atmosphere I have without going to a fancy hotel.
Another memory:
"Who is rich? He who is content with what he has".
This is the engraving on my father's monument in the graveyard. And so, and I switched my mental gear to thinking positively about my comfortable home with all its amenities. Instead of 'what I do not have , what I will miss out on, I chose to appreciate even more my comfortable surroundings of my home.
The above 2 examples of turning negative to positive are not meant to boast here; we can all try to turn our negative position at this time into a positive feeling and action.
My wishes and prayers for all of us, we each have our difficulties, worries, and negatives to live with-can you and I search deep inside and somehow find and make a positive reaction and action to the negative.?
I wish you all well in body and spirit until we connect again in May.
Chw
Friday, April 24, 2020
Friday, April 3, 2020
ALONG LIFE'S JOURNEY 3/4/2020
SHALOM TO MY DEAR READERS:
HERE WE ARE, IN ISRAEL, IN CANADA, IN AMERICA, IN EUROPE- BEING SURROUNDED BY THE CORONA VIRUS. IT IS SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE TO COMPREHEND, TO ABSORB, AND SO VERY DIFFICULT TO RISE ABOVE THE WORRY, THE FEAR, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF OUR WORLD AS WE FIND IT NOW.
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE OR HAVE HAD A MAJOR ILLNESS AS CANCER, OR OTHER LIFE THREATENING DISEASE/ILLNESS, WE HAVE SOMEHOW LEARNED OR CONTINUE LEARNING HOW TO COPE WITH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTED WITH; ALL THE WHILE PRAYING THAT WE CAN OVERCOME, WILL OVERCOME , AND PERHAPS FINALLY HAVING TO ACCEPT THE INEVITABLE THAT WE WILL, AT SOME POINT OF TIME, HOPEFULLY LATER ON THAN SOONER OR IMMEDIATELY, FACE DEATH AT OUR DOORSTEP.
AT THIS POINT OF TIME, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, MY READERS, TWO MAIN THOUGHTS THAT COME TO ME, AS I PREPARE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO FIND MYSELF ALONE AT HOME, PREPARING TO CONDUCT MY FIRST SEDER ALONE.
BEING ALONE IS WONDERFUL. WE ALL NEED IT AND WANT IT AT TIMES, WHEN WE CHOOSE SO. BUT THIS WAY? I REMEMBER THAT MY MOTHER, MAY SHE REST IN PEACE, OFTEN WOULD NOT COME TO ANY OF US CHILDREN FOR A SHABAT. WE ASKED HER WHY WOULD SHE WANT TO BE ALONE. HER ANSWER: 'BUT I AM NOT ALONE, I AM WITH THE RIBON SHEL OLAM RIGHT HERE IN MY HOME.
I KNOW THAT I WILL G. WILLING, CONDUCT MY SEDER WITH THE RIBON SHEL OLAM CLOSE BY TO GUIDE ME.
2ND MAJOR THOUGHT OF MINE: OFTEN BEFORE PESACH, MANKIND IS KNOWN TO RUSH AROUND BUYING NEW CLOTHES, NEW DISHES AND ACCESSORIES, AND SPENDING GREAT AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO THAT END.
AND I PLAN TO SPEND MY SOLITARY SEDER, I AM REMINDED OF WHAT WE CHILDREN WROTE ON MY FATHER'S GRAVESTONE. 'WHO IS RICH? ONE IS SATISFIED WITH HIS LOT IN LIFE". I FEEL IN THE DEPTH OF MY SOUL, THAT I AM CONTENT OF WHERE I AM, IN MY MODEST HOME (WHICH I RENT AND NOT OWN), WITH MY LIFE AS IT IS AT THIS POINT, AND FEEL THE CONTENTMENT OF RICHNESS OF BEING ALIVE, AND SOMEWHAT USEFUL TO OTHERS. I AM BLESSED FROM WITHIN ME BY THE KINDNESS GIVEN TO ME WITH PHONE CALLS FROM EVERYWHERE, FROM PEOPLE FROM PAST AND PRESENT,WITH SHABAT MEALS SENT TO ME AS WELL AS DURING THE WEEK, TO THE OUTPOURING OF CARING AND KINDNESS. THESE ARE THE 'SHLEECHIM', THE MESSENGERS OF HASHEM/G.D IN THIS WORLD, HIS ANGELS!
I WISH EACH ONE OF US THE STRENGTH TO COPE WITH WHAT WE MUST, AND TO FEEL THAT A HIGHER SPIRIT IS WITH US TO SHARE OUR PESACH/EASTER, OUR SHABAT, OUR PRAYERS IN OUR OWN HOMES AS THIS TIME DEMANDS WE DO.
G. BLESS UNTIL NEXT MONTH, G. WILLING,]
CHW
HERE WE ARE, IN ISRAEL, IN CANADA, IN AMERICA, IN EUROPE- BEING SURROUNDED BY THE CORONA VIRUS. IT IS SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE TO COMPREHEND, TO ABSORB, AND SO VERY DIFFICULT TO RISE ABOVE THE WORRY, THE FEAR, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF OUR WORLD AS WE FIND IT NOW.
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE OR HAVE HAD A MAJOR ILLNESS AS CANCER, OR OTHER LIFE THREATENING DISEASE/ILLNESS, WE HAVE SOMEHOW LEARNED OR CONTINUE LEARNING HOW TO COPE WITH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTED WITH; ALL THE WHILE PRAYING THAT WE CAN OVERCOME, WILL OVERCOME , AND PERHAPS FINALLY HAVING TO ACCEPT THE INEVITABLE THAT WE WILL, AT SOME POINT OF TIME, HOPEFULLY LATER ON THAN SOONER OR IMMEDIATELY, FACE DEATH AT OUR DOORSTEP.
AT THIS POINT OF TIME, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, MY READERS, TWO MAIN THOUGHTS THAT COME TO ME, AS I PREPARE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO FIND MYSELF ALONE AT HOME, PREPARING TO CONDUCT MY FIRST SEDER ALONE.
BEING ALONE IS WONDERFUL. WE ALL NEED IT AND WANT IT AT TIMES, WHEN WE CHOOSE SO. BUT THIS WAY? I REMEMBER THAT MY MOTHER, MAY SHE REST IN PEACE, OFTEN WOULD NOT COME TO ANY OF US CHILDREN FOR A SHABAT. WE ASKED HER WHY WOULD SHE WANT TO BE ALONE. HER ANSWER: 'BUT I AM NOT ALONE, I AM WITH THE RIBON SHEL OLAM RIGHT HERE IN MY HOME.
I KNOW THAT I WILL G. WILLING, CONDUCT MY SEDER WITH THE RIBON SHEL OLAM CLOSE BY TO GUIDE ME.
2ND MAJOR THOUGHT OF MINE: OFTEN BEFORE PESACH, MANKIND IS KNOWN TO RUSH AROUND BUYING NEW CLOTHES, NEW DISHES AND ACCESSORIES, AND SPENDING GREAT AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO THAT END.
AND I PLAN TO SPEND MY SOLITARY SEDER, I AM REMINDED OF WHAT WE CHILDREN WROTE ON MY FATHER'S GRAVESTONE. 'WHO IS RICH? ONE IS SATISFIED WITH HIS LOT IN LIFE". I FEEL IN THE DEPTH OF MY SOUL, THAT I AM CONTENT OF WHERE I AM, IN MY MODEST HOME (WHICH I RENT AND NOT OWN), WITH MY LIFE AS IT IS AT THIS POINT, AND FEEL THE CONTENTMENT OF RICHNESS OF BEING ALIVE, AND SOMEWHAT USEFUL TO OTHERS. I AM BLESSED FROM WITHIN ME BY THE KINDNESS GIVEN TO ME WITH PHONE CALLS FROM EVERYWHERE, FROM PEOPLE FROM PAST AND PRESENT,WITH SHABAT MEALS SENT TO ME AS WELL AS DURING THE WEEK, TO THE OUTPOURING OF CARING AND KINDNESS. THESE ARE THE 'SHLEECHIM', THE MESSENGERS OF HASHEM/G.D IN THIS WORLD, HIS ANGELS!
I WISH EACH ONE OF US THE STRENGTH TO COPE WITH WHAT WE MUST, AND TO FEEL THAT A HIGHER SPIRIT IS WITH US TO SHARE OUR PESACH/EASTER, OUR SHABAT, OUR PRAYERS IN OUR OWN HOMES AS THIS TIME DEMANDS WE DO.
G. BLESS UNTIL NEXT MONTH, G. WILLING,]
CHW
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