Last night, we enjoyed our holiday dinner along with Steven, Celina and Ravi and three generations of cousins at the home of a young cousin, whose children are close to my grand daughter's age, suggesting Ravi's delight while cavorting with playmates, whose company she thoroughly enjoys as can clearly be seen upon eyeing the animation radiating throughout her entire being as soon as her high spirited smile connects with theirs.
This morning, we'll attend services in synagogue, where the rabbi will discuss hopes for change for the better as the future unfolds, and while gazing around the congregation, dressed in their finery to welcome the Jewish New Year into our hearts, I'll wonder, as is true each time our high holidays roll around, how many congregants, reading aloud in unison from our prayer books, are truly considering how they can create change for the better rather than unconsciously giving lip service to words recited as mindlessly this year as proved true during all of the yesteryears preceding 2017 ... and if, upon glancing around the sanctuary, that proves to be my first thought then here is my second: As I can't challenge any one's mind to embrace personal growth but my own, I'll turn my mental energy away from wondering about the thoughts of others in favor of attending to the task of taking steps towards effecting change for the better within myself, and by refocusing my mental energy on change that I can effect, step by step, my frustration, concerning our imperfect world, will lessen in direct proportion to how much my efforts to effect positive change meet with success, during my lifetime ...
Last night during dinner, I found myself smiling quietly while listening to others lamenting their boredom during lengthy Hebrew chants, and if you ask: What inspired that peaceful smile to play about my lips, I’d reply: I was feeling thankful for housing a brain trained to conscientiously refuel my spirit by wholly embracing moments of heartfelt contemplation in which intuitive trains of deeply meaningful thought filter freely into my conscious mind, conveying changes for the better that I hope to achieve as the coming year unfolds. And on the heels of that cinscious awareness came this spiritually uplifting train of thought: After we arrive home from tomorrow's service, Will will fetch David at the airport, and (though we'll all miss Barry's family) I'll happily busy myself with readying our home to welcome family and friends, whose hearts and spirits delight in our tradition of ushering in a sweet New Year by feasting together within the warm, candlelit glow of the circle of love that infuses each spirit with an incandescent sense of personal well being, and with today's intuitive train of thought clearly stating why my heart rejoices each time loved ones gather in celebration of holidays within our home, tis time to set my holiday table to match my festive, technicolored feelings before dressing in my finery in readiness to attend this year's Rosh Hashanah service, which awaits our arrival, directly ahead ..
L'Shana Tovah U'Metukah. May you and your family be blessed in 5778 with good health, happiness and abundance (most especially abundance relating to love and laughter).
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