Closing the Week

What a week...

and I have so much for which to be grateful.

I've been reflecting a lot on relationships, both present and past. On how many mistakes I've made throughout my lifetime, and how those have shaped the person I am today, the world I inhabit.

I realize that what I have that's good is because of God's continued goodness and forgiveness, and I am so grateful. How careless, overly busy, and irresponsible I've been at different points in my life, sometimes now, with the fleeting and most cherished of gifts...relationships. For some reason, I can remember so many words I wish I'd never said..and I wonder how many I don't remember.

I heard a rabbi once paint a verbal picture by quoting a tradition...that each word we utter is a living thing, and like an angel it can be an agent of life or of death. I wonder how many of each I have contributed, and I'm resolved to either keep closer watch on my words altogether, or make sure they adhere to the admirable goal of "do no harm." I know the words I give my daughter come back to me many times, and I marvel that they've become a part of her. What an honor...what a trust. What a wake-up call!

As far as the blog this week goes, I've not had the time I'd like to have had to post and to answer comments...I will hopefully do so after shabbat. Thank you for your patience...every single person who comments here is appreciated so much by both myself and Jack!

It has not been a bad week, it has been a full week. For some reason, today I've been moved by the realization that life is so fleeting and so precious, and is to be honored and protected. And valued...

Jack surprised me this week with a gift...it's the 4th anniversary of our engagement. We celebrate both our engagement and our wedding anniversaries, since our engagement was probably the highlight for both of us that sealed us as committed to each other for life, even before it was made "official" with wedding vows and signed papers. Anyway, I completely forgot the day this year...oh my! :( But Jack didn't forget, and the words he shared with me are even better than the lovely token he bought for my gift.

This week closes, and I feel I've fallen behind with many tasks, feeling nostalgic, and quite tired from the week's demands. But the beautiful thing about shabbat...or at least one of the beautiful things...is that it is a clean slate. It is a required rest in which you're rewarded with an oasis of 24 hours of no labor, projects, busy-ness, and preoccupation. We can eat, sleep, and take time to actually see each other...watch a sunrise or sunset, be together, worship in the ways that are most natural.

I had a slew of projects that never got done this week...I was going to post some of them here. Life happens, and blogs sometimes can't keep up. It was that way this week, and so goes the rhythm of our days. Ah, that's life...and life is so good :)

I wish for you the very best of refreshing tonight and tomorrow...I may not be here as often at times, but it's not for lack of loving my blog friends :) I appreciate you so much!

Hug your precious ones :)

Shabbat shalom!