Gratitude 1) My gratitude is being able to connect with friends and family around the globe… reconnecting with people whom I’d lost touch. 2) Having a chance to be with daughter and son. 3) Gratitude for a friend who is in my same town and we both are on our own at this time… our ability to walk to the beach and meet… with appropriate social distancing… and share our concerns and worries and joys about our situation, our families situation, and the global situations.
Concerns 1) Loved ones I know working on frontlines with patients and not having appropriate protective gear. I fear for all our healthcare workers and pray for them without ceasing. 2) Thinking of my friend Linda; who passed away in January and her service was to be today. A community of us who worked in solidarity with Linda joined together today from a distance… lighting candles for Linda in solidarity. 3) Thinking of loved ones with the passing of Al Hall … and this odd time of grief that is compiled with grief upon grief needing to be separated.
Prayer - Out of an abundance by Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler
Out of an abundance of caution, I’m staying home. Out of an abundance of caution, I’m washing my hands for at least 20 seconds, sometimes singing the ABCs, sometimes singing the itsy-bitsy spider, and sometimes saying a prayer. Out of an abundance of caution, I am telling people how much I love them every day, sometimes multiple times a day. I can get annoying. Out of an abundance of caution, I am waving frantically to the stranger across the street while I am out for my walk, making eye-contact, smiling and saying hello. Out of an abundance of caution, I am not using the expression “social distancing.” Physical distancing, yes; social distancing, no way. Out of an abundance of caution, I have subscribed to a joke a day. Out of abundance of caution, I am looking out for people who might be stressed and hungry for food and love and giving more than I have before. Out of an abundance of caution I am paying attention more than ever to the words of my prayers. Out of an abundance of caution, I have faith that love and kindness are contagious, too. Out of an abundance of caution, I am telling you I am here for you, I care about us, I need you, and I want everyone to know we are all in this together.
Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler is the spiritual leader of Temple Sinai in Sharon, MA
Published: 3/19/2020
May it be so… be gentle with yourselves at this time!
Photo from my sunset walk to my beach… entitled “Distanced Lovers”
Originally Published to Facebook on March 22nd, 2020 (for the March 21st daily posting) at https://www.facebook.com/creativecarolcelebrant/photos/a.145438193613047/146849046805295