Paths

I had the privilege of walking at Caratunk, my favorite Audubon refuge, today. I had already chanted the blessings that morning while nursing Asa. My mind wandered a little, fretting about my work, feeling overwhelmed and a little despairing. How can I possibly do what needs to be done?

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Chey Ha'Olamim hamechin mitzadey gaver. Blessed are You, A Fountain of Blessings are You, the Way, Our God, Life of All the Worlds who makes firm a person's footsteps.

Blessed are You, the Path Our God, who reminds us to take it one step at a time, to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Ah, to walk these lovely paths, to practice putting one foot in front of the other amidst the beauty of fall! To feel my feet firmly on the ground. To take in the blessings of place and beauty. Ma Norah HaMakom Hazeh.

As always, at Caratunk, I am filled with gratitude. I must be the luckiest person in all the world to get to walk in this beloved place and see the beauty all around me.

Weary



The melody that emerged this morning as I drove to work highlighted the word "Atah." Atah means "are you"-- Baruch Atah, Blessed are You, and I like to think a point of connection between me and the Ineffable, between me and the Divine, between me and the Shechinah, between me and God.

I needed to feel that connection today because I knew that a hard day at work was ahead of me, and sure enough, it was a difficult as I expected. I finished the day totally spent and discouraged.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Chey Ha-Olamim hanoten layef koach. Blessed are You, the Renewing One, Our God, Life of All the Worlds, who gives strength to the weary.

Blessed are You, the Loving One, My God, who accompanies even me in my weariness.



Awakenings

I had to wake up this morning at 5:00 to see Gabe off on a school trip. Naturally, Asa woke up too, and he was not particulary interested in my plan to go right back to sleep when Gabe departed at 5:30. I ended up with a little nap before getting up to face the day. Instead of my usual natural awakening with the stirrings of the house, I had to rely twice on my alarm, and each time I awoke startled from a deep slumber.

Baruch atah adonai eloheinu chey ha-olamim ha ma'avir sheynah metna utnumah me'afapay. Blessed are you, a Fountain of Blessings are You, the Awakener, Our God, Life of All the Worlds, who removes sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids.

I needed all the help I could get to awaken fully today. I was so dazed on my way to work that I forgot that my new routine is to sing the morning blessings during my drive to work. Something on the I-95/Rte 146 interchange reminded me, so I managed to get a few blessings in before I arrived at work, aware only that I was not really aware.

Later in the evening, I stood outside in our backyard in the golden light just before the sun set and let the word Baruch come into focus. Blessed, A Fountain of Blessings. I felt the huge blessing of the gorgeous evening envelope me, rain down on me, and felt my feet on the ground, my center within me, and tuned into this fountain of  blessings that flows from me and back to me.