lynching!

The bus had just dropped her off..she looked like a wreck. Her pretty face streaked with tears, she averted my gaze, although I was a total stranger to her. Just then a soda can slammed into the side of her face and a loud cheer went up..from the gleeful faces at the windows of the departing bus.
I was not the only witness.
It was broad daylight on a busy street.
No one said a thing.
You see.. the victim and perpetrators were 8-9 years old.
I often wonder, at how children can be so, so cruel.
Anyone who grew up overweight, with a funny name, nervous twitch or darker than usual can attest to this.
Ultimately children are selfless creatures, they won't seriously hurt someone but they'll hurt someone enough to entertain themselves.
I wanted so badly at that moment to do something to protect that little girl but she was gone in an instant...but I suppose we could just just continue on our way muttering..kids will be kids.

One comforting thought...
Thank goodness kids are too little to pick on us adults...lol

Thanksgiving

Ok. I'm sitting here..about to write about how thankful I am for everything.
I have a wonderful family, beautiful and healthy children, healthy parents, wonderful in laws, friends I can rely on...
But really what's the point?
I should be telling them how thankful I am. When was the last time I did that? I'd be getting away cheap by just posting my thanks in a blog where it won't be read by them..and if it will be read by them they'll have no clue it's me.

Perhaps I should just Thank God here..(does he read blogs?...yikes!). Sometimes he's so good to me I wonder if he still cares about me, cuz I know that I don't deserve it.

Observations in Shul Part II - Tachanun

Here's one point in Davening that always cracks me up...
I'll give you a play by play in slow motion.

Let's go to the videotape...

The Chazzen finishes shemonah esrei.."Hamevurech es amoi bashuloim...."

Here comes the Tachanun Pause
Suddenly there's this pause..it's as if everyone in shul morphs into Baalei Teshuvah their first day in shul with blank looks on their faces as if..unsure of what to do next..
Then suddenly..the terrifying realization starts settling in..the realization that we will be saying tachanun today. No Bris..No Chosson..No Yahrtzeit..No Siyum...

Now if there indeed is some hero that calls out "Kaddish" from the back of the shul, then turn your attention to the 2-3 Litvaks in the Minyan. They react as if someone just took their morning coffee out of their hand.
The funny thing is that that's how they reacted yesterday and the day before as well. You'd think they'd catch on by now.

Actually according to Kabbalistic sources you should try avoiding Tachanun if you can.

Observations in Shul...

This morning in shul, I was observing some interesting happenings.
You have about 40% of the people coming on time then..
Some people come by Boruch Sheomar, some by Ashrei, some by Yishtabach and some by Shemonah Esrei.

Those that come by Boruch Sheomar think that the guy who comes by Ashrei is a *sheigitz

The one that comes by Boruch Sheomar thinks that the guy who comes by Yishtabach is a *sheigitz

The one that comes by Yishtabach looks at the guy who comes by Shemonah Esrei as a *sheigitz

And the guy that comes by Shemonah Esrei...well..he.. **takeh is a *sheigitz...



*bum
**truly is

Celebrating Death- an observation

There comes a time in the year
When something very unnatural occurs
We gather in our outdoor life
The fruits of our labor and earth
There's nothing she can offer us anymore

It is at that moment that we celebrate death
We clamor to observe her in her glory
We breathe in her crisp air
And watch as she lets go of her source
Falling to the ground in graceful finality

Can it be?
Can death hold such beauty?
Perhaps it is because, hidden inside these lifeless leaves
lie the nutrients of next springs rebirth.

Let Freedom Ring....

Stuck in the flow of eternity
Given 70-80 years to grow
Our opportunity to define
who we are and where we go

Our souls are defined by how we end
The path taken is the path taken forever
And yet we chain ourselves
To the shackles of habit and flow

Free ..all you want is freedom
Freedom to grow Freedom to know Freedom to fly
Free... all you need is freedom

“Nafshenu K’tzippor Nimlata”
That’s all your soul really wants..