Counting the Omer-Week 4/ENDURANCE-Day 5/SPLENDOR

Judah's papier-mache chicken on the shelf.

Week 4-/(Netzach) ENDURANCE-Day 5/(Hod) SPLENDOR

This weekend is about family even more so than usual because of Mother's Day. We endure because of or in spite of our mothers. If we are not mothers who have birthed a child then perhaps we are mothers by mothering someone else's child. Before Shabbat came in Judah, one of my 5yr old students and thus one of "my" children, texted me "I love you Menuhah. I love you a lot". He also sent me a photo  of the papier-mache chicken we worked on in class to let me know it went up on a shelf besides other works of art. The texted words will endure in my heart. Upon receiving the photo I knew I would use it for this blog. I requested and received permission to do so. As we gather with family for mother's day outings we may not find everything as perfect as we imagined. No matter. In some way it will be splendid and in some way it will endure. 

After nightfall on Saturday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty six days which is three weeks and five days of the omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 4/ENDURANCE-Day 4/ENDURANCE

Four of my children's omer calendars..

Week 4-/(Netzach) ENDURANCE-Day 4/(Netzach) ENDURANCE

We have made it to the half way point in counting the omer or perhaps I should say "I" since who can say if you have been following, reciting and counting. One aspect to doing this mitzvah falls right into the endurance category. Easy enough to do it for a while but can you remember to do it over and over, night after night and not skip one. For many years I would start with great intention but then fall short. Part of the reason I started publishing my thoughts about the omer was to make sure I would follow through. As with Weight Watchers my theory was that if I was held accountable by others (even if I only thought I was being held accountable) well then it was more likely to be something I would do. The other night when I took my mom to a hotel for her birthday a friend emailed me to remember to count. She knew that being away in a strange place can make it harder to remember. May we all endure in those things we need most to do.

After nightfall on Friday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty five days which is three weeks and four days of the omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 4/ENDURANCE-Day 3/COMPASSION

Several different breed of birds rest together at Myakka.

Week 4-/(Netzach) ENDURANCE-Day 3/(Tiferet) COMPASSION

This week one subject in many of our minds is whether we should  celebrate, or make presents for Mother's Day. There will be pink cards,  pink flowers offered up as potential gifts reminding me of the pink rose bills I saw in Florida.  In the bible we are told to show respect to our parents both mothers and fathers. They are not separated, This concept of respect has endured for a long time. In contrast the American incarnation of Mother's Day was created in 1908 and only became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, just a hundred years ago. It lacks compassion for any of us who have not managed to have children as we are surrounded by ads and commercials for the holiday. When people say "happy mother's day" to me assuming I must be one it only reminds me of how I have failed to do so. This year though a parent came up to me and said "You may not be a mother but I will never forget how you were the teacher to my son so happy mother's day". This compassion melted my heart.

After nightfall on Thursday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty four days which is three weeks and three days of the omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 4/ENDURANCE-Day 2/JUDGEMENT

A crew team practices on the Potomac river at sunset.

Week 4-/(Netzach) ENDURANCE-Day 2/(Gevurah) JUDGEMENT

Tonight I began the celebration of my mom's birthday. I want to celebrate not just the fact of her birth but the fact of how long she has endured. My mom had eleven brothers and sisters and her mother died giving birth to the last sibling. My mom was only fourteen, the family was pretty poor but everyone pitched in and managed to survive. There wasn't anyone to show my mom the ropes as she grew up, got married and had children of her own. She had to use her own judgment and for that I thank her. Part of our evening was spent watching a symphony orchestra play four pieces of music, dancers who interpreted two dances and before the music started a crew team practicing on the Potomac river. What all of these groups had in common was their discipline. I was inspired by the trained muscles of the dancers and crew team and the graceful bow work of the orchestral strings. It reminded me that endurance is built up by repetition which I need to be more committed to. And you?

After nightfall on Wednesday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty three days which is three weeks and two days of the omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 4/ENDURANCE-Day 1/LOVE

Practicing a walking meditation on the lawn.

Week 4-/(Netzach) ENDURANCE-Day 1/(Chesed) LOVE

What will we do that will endure? I think we all want to live and we all want to leave a mark on this world. Perhaps we love so we will be remembered by someone. As a teacher I am always hoping I will be able to show kindness and love to my students and that this kindness and love will endure in the way they treat others for the rest of their life. At times I teach them intentions or meditations so they will remember this kindness and love. I have been teaching them Thich Nhat Hanh's walking meditation to kiss the earth with your feet. As we walk in a line on the lawn I invite them to say yes, ken, oui, si on the in breath and then say thank you, todah, merci and gracias on the out breath. I want them to say "YES" to life in whatever language they are speaking so we do it in English, Hebrew, French and Spanish. I want them to thank the earth for being there to walk on and so we use various words for "thank you" as well. May at least the energy of love endure.

After nightfall on Tuesday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty two days which is three weeks and one day of the omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 3/COMPASSION-Day7/KINGDOM

A pink hibiscus flower growing on a bush.

Week 3-/(Tiferet) COMPASSION-Day 7/(Malchut) KINGDOM

Compassion may not always be something we plan for but something that happens as natural as a flower blooming and shines as beautifully. I was thinking about some of the problems going on at work, stuff coming out of all our crap when someone who used to work with us came by. I was thinking about talking over some of my issues with her, sharing and getting another perspective. Then it came out that she had lost her mother. All of a sudden any problem I might have had seemed tiny compared to her loss. I went close and decided to teach her Thich Nhat Hanh's hugging meditation. As I held her for the three breaths I could feel her pain come into and out of my body. I knew that this moment was really calling for my compassion. Thee we spoke of heartache and how best to remember the good stuff. Like the royalty we are we can hold up others.l

After nightfall on Monday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty one days which is three weeks of the omer.