Yesterday the second day Rosh Hashana services were excellent, and at the last minute I was given the honor of the first aliyah because another friend of ours is unfortunately sick and in a rehab center. I really did feel honored to stand in for her. Thanks, Sue, for giving me that honor. Second day services are always more low-key and less well-attended, but perhaps for that reason they often feel more spiritual to me. I must say I was really getting into my davening yesterday. I admit I also prayed hard for my own healing as well as that of all the people on the prayer list.
After services, we spent all afternoon and evening at Rae's house with her family and our mutual friends. It was a wonderful day, very much a Jewish holiday sort of day. We ate a lot of delicious food like brisket, chicken, meatballs, kugel, various vegetables, cakes, and fruit. Of course there was raisin challah with apples and honey! It just felt very, very warm and loving. Thanks Rae, Ron, and everyone else who was there. You made our Rosh Hashana holiday very special.
Walking around the Greenbelt Lake between the main meal and dessert was a special treat. Mark and I, in all these years in this area, had never walked all the way around the lake. Rae lives across the street from the entrance to the lake, so it's very easy to do that. The "girls" took the lead and after awhile we couldn't even see the guys anymore. While we were walking, Rae mentioned that she has started writing down seven things that she is grateful for each day. I was impressed with this idea. In fact, I told her I was probably going to blog about that today, so she shouldn't be surprised if she reads this.
I challenge everyone to come up with seven things today for which they are grateful. Here's my list for today, but I think this list could be good for every day.
1. My husband, Mark, and for all the fabulous things he says to me and does for me. I am blessed.
2. My friends, Sara and Jeff, for putting up with us; haha, I mean putting us up for five nights.
3. My sister, Cindy, who will share her house with us for the next two months.
4. The warm, hamische feelings I've been getting at shul these past few days from all of our extended Mishkan Torah family. There's something to be said for making and maintaining a relationship with one synagogue for over 35 years. Lots of love and support there.
5. Our new house in Florida, which has far exceeded our expectations.
6. The chance to swim today in my old bathing suit that might not fit after my surgery without some sort of prostheses inside the cups. Sigh.
7. Waking up to a hot cup of coffee lovingly prepared by my husband.
Of course, I'm grateful for my children, but they are not here today to spend the day with me. I wish they could be, but I know why that's not possible. I will see Lowell on Monday, so that will be nice.
I'd like to say I'm grateful for the cancer because it's giving me the opportunity to be strong, grow as a person, find out what's really important in life, but honestly that would be BS of the highest order. I have read stories and blogs of other women with breast cancer who write about those things. I wish I could say that, but I can't. I'm not grateful for it. I am still annoyed and mad about it but resigned to it and ready to do what I have to do. But there is no gratitude there in my heart at all. Sorry.
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