In Hebrew 18 translates to life – just keep living

Sometimes there is nothing else you can do but just keep living. There is birth and there is death, and in between we have life. How we live that life is up to us, completely in our control and one hundred percent our choice. Maybe I should clarify that our reaction is our choice, but it is also learned over time and as we grow throughout life.

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary, 18 years, meaning life, such a powerful metaphor. It is coming up on the Jewish calendar on Rosh Chodesh Elul. Life has not been easy, although it has been miraculous and quite a ride. All I know how to do is take care of me first. When I do this, I can deal with and handle anything coming my way. Sometimes we think of the phrases, time of my life, full of life and living it up. Other times all we can do is just keep living, day by day, moment by moment, and just keep on putting one foot in front of the other. Every Friday, I have a Kaballah class that fulfills my soul, it is in Hebrew and I understand most of it because of my love of Torah. Then I had some business to take care of and afterwards ran to the Mahane Yehuda shuk to get some dill and cilantro. It was packed, and I was thrilled to run into beautiful warriors that are loud and proud voices for the Jewish people and Israel. I was most excited for my pedicure appointment, that was so overdue, now my feet are happy and so am I.

Figure out what you love, what grounds you and what recharges you and then focus on squeezing it in. Maybe in rotation, because of course time and money play a role, so a walk in the park or at the beach might work just to breathe some fresh air and be in nature. I love to be serviced, so any kind of body work, spa, or beauty treatments. I am also a dancer, so when time permits, I love to take dance classes for fun and exercise.

I love and need Shabbat so much, to disconnect from it all and reconnect to my essence and my creator, so on Friday I am already in Shabbat mode. When Moses broke the first tablets, they were also included with the new tablets because only by the release of one thing, are we able to see a path for something greater. This weeks Torah learning is Parsha Eikev, talks about how loss always, and I mean always becomes something else. It can be a breakthrough, it could be something you never imagined before because your eyes become open anew. You come from a deep place of knowledge and experience, so loss in itself could be viewed as a positive in the big picture. To be present in our loss and feel our loss is of the utmost importance. Setting aside ego and needing to be right, just allowing your brokenness to reveal your essence, mission and purpose. Nullifying and humbling ourselves to be a vessel, being present and trusting God’s plan.

Wishing everyone to be present in their journey in this lifetime. Even when it is hard, it is for our own renewal and ultimately going forward and taking action unapologetically is how we can make things happen. Authentic, real, true and do not let anyone tell you how to be you.

Shabbat Shalom

Am Yisroel Chai

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