Monday, September 7, 2009

All The Way From The Mid West To A Computer Near U*

It is at times like this that I wish I could up load my photos. This entry is being posted from Troy, Michigan. My husband & I arrived late Saturday afternoon, just in time to freshen up, & jaunt off to very cool rehearsal dinner of my first cousin's son's wedding, who is of course my second cousin. I met my cousin's son for the first time, many summers ago when they were on the east coast here for business, & visiting with fam* & friends, all the way from Denton, Texas. They made a special trip up to Rocky Hill, Connecticut to visit my Dad. Our Texan cousins have true heart & generously share their southern warmth & charm when ever we are fortunate enough to reunite. Over the years & over the vast miles they have always been the the ones to travel our way, & it has only been recently, just several years ago that I was, finally, able to get myself to take some new steps forward on my life's journey & travel their way.

The entire weekend was one of much hustle, bustle & immense joy. It is certainly true, that the people you spend your early, most formidable & significant times with, even if it's only during a few special holidays, or the sharing of milestone events in one an other's lives, that's really all it takes to connect the threads. There never really is enough time to delve in too deeply to what has made us who we are now, & we do our best to take in all the snippets of vinyetts, hoping we get enough of it pieced together just right, so we all can know as clearly as possible, the other's perspective. We've all grown, grown up in so many different ways, an extended family, with it's own organic stories of events & episodes, which do not end up on the cutting room floor. These small, yet detailed scenes of our lives, accumulate & sculpt us into who we are now.

I do know that our fore parents, of generations prior, would be pleased that we stay in touch, as in doing so, we continue to honor all that we came from & try, as best, as we are able, to reinforce all that is good in ourselves & in one another by coming together to bless & celebrate special occasions, with our family. For me, it is the marriage of my second cousin, who's name is also that of our Grandfather, for who the goal of this journey's celebration was our main event.

In just a few weeks a New Year will be upon us, as in the Jewish tradition, we will once again be at the "head of the year". That's what Rosh Hashanah means, "head of the year". In approaching a New Year, we are also, God willing, requesting a new beginning for ourselves in asking that our sins, & or misdeeds be forgiven. That of course is a big request, for even on the human level we all know just how difficult it is for human beings, mortal people, all of us, to fully forgive others who have trespassed against us, yet we continue to ask that of God. Our task is not a simple one, & the facets that have made us all the complicated individuals that we have evolved to become did not happen over night. Yet basically we all know intuitively what every human being yearns for, & that is love & acceptance, which of course means that we too must practice forgiveness, for only then, are we truly worthy of the very forgiveness that we request. A life long quest for me, as it has & continues to take immense patience & practice. My Father practiced this, he & my Mother forgave one another towards the end of his life. Yes, sometimes it takes a lifetime, our small lives in the universal scheme to things.

So as Rosh Hashanah continues to be in the forefront of my mind & heart at this time of the year, what better time than now, to work for & to promote peace on all the various levels & dimensions-- peace from within, peace with one another & peace in the world. This year's, "United Nation's International Day Of Peace, 2009", takes place in September all over the world.

So, where ever you may be, here, there & every where-- I wish you peace, here on earth & in a galaxy far, far away too. Shalom, Shalom, from Troy, Michigan.

*Amen*

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