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