- Attended the funeral of a best friend and the wedding of another
Been to two foreign countries in two different hemispheres
Turned 32
Thrown the bridal shower for my closest-thing-to-a-sister, a friend of 27 years
Helped clean and move out the apartment of a beloved aunt who left 40 years of swingin’ NYC life for a retirement community upstate
Started and finished a short documentary, shot in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and edited in the richest one
Visited parents, in-laws and many friends
Participated in a conference in Israel where invitees were told that basically the future of the Jewish people lies in our hands
Only been home for a couple weeks at a time, during which I hosted two different houseguests
Been on 14 flights and in at least 10 different cities
And experienced just about every human emotion that I can imagine.
I am so tired that it hurts behind my eyes, but I am also strangely exhilarated. For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m truly living in the now. I haven’t even had time to think about the past or the future, and this is life—the good and the bad.
It seems very appropriate that the Jewish High Holidays are approaching this weekend. I’m grateful that Judaism insists upon an annual time to reflect and renew. To be honest, I’m a little afraid of what I’ll find when I start to contemplate these last few months but I don’t think I’ve ever needed to embrace the joy, sorrow, and daunting tasks of the High Holidays so badly.
Here’s wishing you all a sweet and meaningful New Year.
