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Celebrating Light: Winter Solstice
When the words come, they are merely empty shells without the music. They live as they are sung, for the words are the body and the music the spirit. – St. Hildegard of Bingen A Story When the great Rabbi Israel Ba’al Shem-Tov saw misfortune threatening the Jews, it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light the fire, say a special prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished and the misfortune averted. Years later when a disciple of the Ba’al Shem-Tov, the celebrated Magid of Mezritch, had occasion for the same reason, to intercede with heaven, he…
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Summertime
In July I was at Endicott College for the wonder-filled International Women Writers Guild Conference. After waiting two years due to the virus, I imagined a peaceful time walking along the beach there. Instead, overwrought by the heat and humidity I got in my car and sought out a hairdresser at a Beverly salon. One more layer of my hair was removed but not before the room spun around from bending backward at the sink. The lady seemed to know all about the dizzies and brought me a cup of water. Moving into an empty dorm room made me realize I am not a kid anymore as I lay on…
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Coming Alive: Mother’s Day
Make everyday Coming Alive Day! One May I spent Mother’s Day with my two aunts on my father’s side of the family who were alone and sad. Before I could feel guilty about dining with them my mother said, “go and be with them…You can see me another day….everyday is mother’s day ” Last fall, I bid good bye to my last living aunt, Aunt Helen. My mother died seven years ago. I was blessed to have eleven aunts to get to know and feel loved by. We get our start in life through our mother’s body. Only she can make the sacred choice of bringing life into the world.…