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Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Happy New Year 5781!

Seasons are changing.
It will be fall or spring equinox depending on where you live.
And on Friday night Sept 18, 2020 it will be a new year in the Hebrew calendar…5781!

This is a wonderful time of year to reflect inward.


I thought I would share a few things that have helped me move into an introspective space. 

First, I love re-reading Alan Lew's book This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation.

Second, I think this is a cool project. I have been part of for the last handful of years.
10Q. 10 Days. 10 Questions.
Here’s what they say about their project:
Answer one question per day in your own secret online 10Q space. Make your answers serious. Silly. Salacious. However you like. It's your 10Q. When you're finished, hit the magic button and your answers get sent to the secure online 10Q vault for safekeeping. One year later, the vault will open and your answers will land back in your email inbox for private reflection. Next year the whole process begins again. And the year after that, and the year after that.
One of the best parts of 10Q, they don’t care about your religion, background or nationality. They ask the same questions every year. Each time I am both surprised and not so surprised to see what I wrote the year (and years) before.
 

In the past years I have written about picking a word for the year. My words have been balance, bravery, abundance and mountain.

What is your intention for this new year? 

    What are your dreams? 

I invite you to take a minute and ask yourself...

        what are you hoping for in this new year?  

        what word pops into your head?
I think mine might be Gevurah. It has to do with strength, boundaries and justice. It is the counter balance to overflowing loving kindness. I hope you’ll click here and send me your word.

Last but not least here is a bit of music for the season.
The Maccabeats- Bashana Haba’a

Soon the day will arrive
when we will sing together,
And the distance will just disappear
And the children will smile,
In a world that’s gotten better,
So let’s bring in a healthy new year

One of my teachers Daniel Silverstein has started recording his music, kind of rap music, take a listen. What do you think?

In this new, strange time I bless you and our world with good health, strength, courage and peace. 

May 5781 be a sweet new year for us all.
שנה טובה

With Ahava (love)

Tamy

Lyrics for Bashana Haba’a
בשנה הבאה נשב על המרפסת
ונספור ציפורים נודדות.
ילדים בחופשה ישחקו תופסת
בין הבית לבין השדות.

עוד תראה, עוד תראה
כמה טוב יהיה
בשנה, בשנה הבאה.

Soon the day will arrive
when we will sing together,
And the distance will just disappear
And the children will smile,
In a world that’s gotten better,
So let’s bring in a healthy new year

Wait and see, wait and see, what a world there can be
And we know that there’s always tomorrow

עוד תראה, עוד תראה
כמה טוב יהיה
בשנה, בשנה הבאה.

בשנה הבאה נפרוש כפות ידיים
מול האור הניגר הלבן
אנפה לבנה תפרוש באור כנפיים
והשמש תזרח בתוכן.

עוד תראה, עוד תראה
כמה טוב יהיה
בשנה, בשנה הבאה.

———————————————————————————-

Lyrics translated:

In the coming year we’ll sit on our porch
And we’ll count migrating birds
Children on holiday will play tag
Between the house and the fields

Soon you’ll see, soon you’ll see
How good it will be
In the coming year

Soon the day will arrive
when we will sing together,
And the distance will just disappear
And the children will smile,
In a world that’s gotten better,
So let’s bring in a healthy new year

Wait and see, wait and see, what a world there can be
And we know that there’s always tomorrow

In the coming year we’ll spread our palms
Against the white flowing light
A white heron will spread its wings in the light
And the sun will shine in them

Soon you’ll see, soon you’ll see
How good it will be
In the coming year







Sunday, September 13, 2020

Home

When you invoke the idea of home, what do you think about?

Is it your current home? The place you grew up? Or maybe even your parent’s home?

Is there a favorite smell and when you smell it you are reminded of home? 

Or is home a feeling you get when you get off the plane? Ahh… I’m home!

Is it a visual, wow that house looks a lot like the place I call my home. 

Is it a feeling of being grounded, loved, nurtured? 

Is it about family, people or memories?

 

The idea of home being where your heart is and where your feet are really speaks to me. I’ve been thinking a lot about the difference between a home and the place we live.

 

When was the last time you moved?

When I was a kid we moved a lot, all around the East Coast.  It wasn’t until I was in 5th grade we finally lived someplace for more than two years. I was the kid who could proudly say, I’ve lived in 5 places in the first 10 years of my life. As a kid that was pretty darn cool. I have had conversations with some of you and know you had the same experience. When I came to Chicago (my mom’s hometown) for undergrad, I settled here. My mom’s family all live here. The place I came to visit as a kid. My grandparents, aunts/uncles and so many cousins all live here. All of the sudden I was home!

 

I lived here for over 30 years until two years ago when I moved to Israel. Each time I got off the plane in Israel, I felt like I was home. My shoulders lowered down into my back. My face just smiled. My whole self said…  I’m home. Take a look at this older blog post regarding my feelings of loving two homes at once.  

A month and a half ago, I came back again to Chicago, the place where I grew into a grown-up.  

This time is different. 

I am different. 

Two years ago we sold the house I used to call my home. Those memories now live in my mind, heart, and in way too many boxes that have been living in storage for the last 2 1/2 years. 

 

The song Home by Phillip Phillips has been playing in my head all week, especially these lines.

Settle down, it'll all be clear

Don't pay no mind to the demons

They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down

If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone

'Cause I'm going to make this place your home

 

As of September 1st, I became a proud renter of a one-bedroom apartment in Evanston, Illinois. It’s really pretty and light. Hardwood floors and that old building feel. Last week the movers loaded up the contents of my storage locker and brought boxes and boxes of things to my new place. For some people opening boxes that have been in storage for a few years is like Christmas morning. The excitement, the anticipation, and the wonder of what you’re going to find in the box can be really invigorating. But not for me, I had a feeling of dread. What in the world did I pack in these boxes? Some are labeled books, those are the easy ones. A few are labeled dishes, photos or kid's art. 

But the rest… OY! I have no earthly idea. 

 

Slowly I’ve begun opening the boxes, mostly smiling with delight when I find prized items that I had forgotten I still owned. And with a bit more joy in my heart, I set about unpacking. Tonight as I sit in my living room on my new couch looking around at the beautiful flowers in the vase on the table I used to love, I can take a deep breath in and feel like I am finally home. 

 

With love (ahava), 

Tamy

 

PS

Chicagoland Moving and Storage are my heroes! Igal and Erez are also my friends.

They have kept all of my things safe in storage for over two years.
They moved me into my new home. Can’t thank them enough.
Please use them for your moving and storage needs.

 

Sad news from the Jacobs Family:

Our pretty dog Ike, loved our family, toys and going for walks. And boy did he love the snow. He kept us safe from the postman.
As his dad wrote: A glorious life lived in service of others happiness.
He took his last breath on Sat Sept 12, 2020
It’s sad. 
I’m sad.
He was a part of our family for over 16 years. 
💔

He loved his toys