THE MIRACLE OF CYBERSPACE

The miracle of a fast computer, obeys every command and at every click of the mouse goes to where you want it to be, at ease, with incredible speed, a computer with a keyboard that is slick and keen, having a mind of its own.

Lightening speed and thunderous ideas all brainstormed in a rainstorm of electrons and protons and neutrons pouring down from the sky, images appearing disappearing, changing colors, bright lights, endless templates in a cyberspace that has no beginning nor has an ending, endless, always zooming, always flying in an order of the orderly, a cyberspace that switches on or switches off, to be put to sleep on Saturdays.

Faster computers, faster than they have ever been before, obedient keyboards, typing like a pro, always having a busy right hand, Jerusalem has not been forgotten. No crashing of computers, not a need for a repair, tires on cars not becoming flat, roads that are clear and computers that respond.

Having someone a light year away, to not be there late, to be in contact remotely, to see someone in a video, to phone someone anyone with a hit of a few keys, to always be in the milieu, to have someone waiting for you on an iPhone.

A miracle of light, lightening flashes, a response only seconds away. News being delivered faster than it happens. Always in the know, even when not wanting to know.

Miracles of speed, faster than a speed of light, a Clark Kent superman in the touch of your fingers.

Ideas coming forth like waves of a lake, a lake of space, a cyberspace to make you feel connected, always connected to an intelligence that you can call your own.

A G-d of sorts inside your computer, controlling its speed and its crashes, to be blessed with free internet access, to be blessed to always have a G-d, a One G-d, a G-d Almighty, that you can feel on your speedy fingertips, as they type out a kind word, a blessing emailed in a second's time, a word to send that heals, that solves the problem.

Cyberspace as controlled by the Almighty, as a gift to us from G-d. Always connected, always being blessed.

THE HAPPINESS OF A PIZZA PARTY

Pizzas! Every type you can imagine, lots of different toppings and sauces, a creamy tomato sauce, some pizza with meat and some with vegetables, some with cheese and some with a thick bread crust and some thin.

Taking the wet soft dough of a pizza and extending it into a hot oven to bake, to broil the sauce and char the toppings, to see the dough rise like a seagull over a lake. Puffing and spreading out, taking up more space, becoming crunchy and delicious.

Melting cheese flowing off the dough onto the sides of the pan, more and more cheese, white cheeses and cheddar cheeses, a gift from the mammary glands of a cow. Pulling the cheese apart into chunks with your fingers, eating the strings as they stretch over the breaded crust. Cheese strings then snapping like a rubber band, making a slight sound.

Red sauces and lots of veggies mixed into it. Mushrooms, green peppers, spinach, black and green olives, a California style pizza, a pizza that is a Mediterranean pizza, a pizza with a flare like a Mexican fiesta pizza, lots of colors, lots of tastes.

Having more than your share, always to eat an extra piece, to not go away hungry, to be able to keep a kosher diet with kosher meats on the pizza or choosing just the veggie and cheese.

Being again invited to another pizza party next week, same time, same place, week after week, year after year. A pizza party where we can celebrate again and again, to always be sated, to always be full.

MAKING YOUR OWN MIRACLES

"Do you want to make miracles? It’s not so hard.
Let’s say you see someone’s faults and you truly want to help—whether it be a friend, a spouse, your child or even your nemesis.
Don’t say a word about what you have found wrong. Instead, find something wondrous about that person, perhaps something that nobody ever mentions. Talk about it—to yourself, and to those who will listen and sympathize.
In very little time, you will see such a new person, you will believe you are a maker of wonders.
Indeed, we all are." [Chabad.org]

Can we make a miracle ourselves and do it with the guidance of G-d using us as His instrument to do the creating? Can we see something that needs to change and we are guided with the intelligence that is needed to change it? They say to change the things we can and not to fret over not being able to change the things we cannot change. But what of a miracle to happen? A miracle that what seems like it will never change, does.

If we have an expectation from someone, something we wish would happen, to be expecting something out of a person, he will be more apt to deliver because we expect him to. If we expect negativity and comment on a person's ill words or actions, we are giving this person attention for negativity and so this will be all he knows. To change another person if we see that he needs to improve, we must congratulate him when he does well, and not to center our attentions on his faults.

To show someone love and positive attention when you see he is trying to overcome these negative traits and not to point out always when someone is wrong. To be kind and to ignore these negative traits of another and not to turn them against yourself and be distraught because of another's ill will.

Finding a way to cope, to see sunlight even in the rain, to feel warmth on your skin even outside in the snow. To find a way to say kind words to someone and to be the one to make their day.

THE MIRACLE OF SUSTENANCE

Never to hunger, not to want for food, manna raining in torrents, bread or matzos, wine or grape juice, green grapes or red grapes, white wine or red wine, plates always full, always enough food to go around, eating only the best of foods, eating all kosher foods.

Kosher foods coming in like spam emails, so much there is always enough, meats, chicken, beef, lamb, ground or steaks, never to eat a round meat, always from the front of the cow.

Snacks in abundance, chips, candies, chocolates, nuts, coming out of vending machines like lotto money won at a casino. Drop in a coin and reach into the vending machine and get candies pouring forth as a waterfall, Niagara Falls falling as sweets to sweeten a sour mouth.

Drinks to quench the thirst, not going thirsty, sweetened waters like Moses's wood that was thrown into the River Nile, his water gushing forth out of rocks, purifying at a lake, all natural waters, not to carry a speck of dust upon one's tongue, to be purified of all tumah, to be a single female, to be wearing all white clothes, to not carry a rash or have a blemish.

Being thankful for being provided, having a future in your life, meal after meal, day after day, prayer after prayer.

THE MIRACLE OF LIVING YOUR LIFE

Celebrating a day of life, chanting the Shehekeyanu and thanking G-d The Almighty for having been born, a day to celebrate, a day to live life to its fullest, having a birthday in less than one month away, given life from your mother's womb into a whole huge wide world and being blessed with many blessings from your Rabbi, as you again celebrate another birthday, a day to be gracious to G-d, to thank Him for Chai, for Life.

Being in with the living, taking each day as it comes, feeling the energy of those around you, giving you energy to be alive, moving your body parts, going to exercise classes, Yoga classes, stretching and pumping up your muscles, feeling alive, being in with the living, meshing and merging, singing in tune with your worship minyan, worshipping the Almighty G-d together, each as separate people, but to form a union of Oneness, a holiness of a group that becomes One, as G-d is One G-d and is not a trinity or a group of multiple gods, G-d is everything, and everything is united in One G-d's love and power that is there for everyone in the world.

Having a life that counts, as you are counted in a holy minyan to make a holy Ten, Ten Jews who are committed to the commandments that Moses decreed on his tablets as a gift from G-d that he brought down to us from Mount Sinai. Being up on top of the greatest mountain of all mountains! Having a life that counts and is valued, being a part of the whole, being honored and being loved, being a member of the Jewish community.

Thanking and always praising The Almighty for His gift to you of your life.

THE MIRACLE OF HAVING A CHOICE

"Today in Jewish History
• Earthquake Saves Roman Jews from Forced Conversion (1430)

The church and the government of Rome set Wednesday, March 6, 1430, as the day when all the Jews of Rome must convert or face death. On that day a great earthquake shook Rome and many of the archbishops and priests who conceived the decree were killed. Following the earthquake, Pope Martin V annulled the decree." [Chabad.org]

Just whisper a Hebrew word, have it on your tongue, see the Shema Prayer in your mind's eye, walk without tripping to the beat of a false god, being appreciative, thankful but not to any other god except the One Almighty G-d, do not shift your prayers to an alien god, keep looking forward, being righteous and not letting Him down, feel the miracle of having a choice, not being forced to worship any other god except the G-d of your choice, having a choice and taking the best choice, to worship the mightiest of all, HASHEM.

Having the miracle of a choice. Letting go and letting G-d. Knowing that history tells us of His miracles and that since you continue everyday to have a choice, G-d is performing again and again this miracle, a miracle to give us a choice to worship HASHEM and only HASHEM.

STRENGTH AND POWER

Lifting heavy exercise weights, body building, at a gym in a locker room with other strong body building females, breathing in the word Adonai and breathing out the word Yah, inhaling from strong lungs, never to touch a cigarette, lighting a flame for Shabbat and lighting one again for the Havdalah, round the clock exertion of our muscles, bending and stretching, yoga classes, turning walking into hiking, then climbing mountains, lava of wrath pouring and pumping from the mouth of a mountain, a volcano, to be slow to anger, to feed our children, to put them through school, even at our own expense of us not achieving a higher education, a choice, to have children or not to have children, birth control, abortions, we have a choice.

Holding a leather wrap, a bow of a gift, a tefillin in our hands and tying it tightly to our arm, blood restricted to flow even faster, a great overwhelming feeling of the power of G-d tied to our arms, securely firmly fit over our heads, the leather of a kosher cow, a muscle bulging under a leather box, a box containing the greatest prayer of all prayers, to listen for G-d, to hear G-d in the silence, to hum to His rhythm as we hear crickets rubbing their legs together in the night, to work in the daytime and to sleep at night, to be in with all the secrets of the mystics, to know the truths, to have The Torah as our guide, to have a G-d that belongs to everyone, but to be the only ones who own The Torah, never to give it up, to keep the miracles of G-d in our memory and to feel His miracles happening everyday every moment of the week, the miracle to have a roof over one's head in the rain, and to eat three kosher meals a day.

It was Deborah who led the largest strongest of all armies in the history of the world, and she won the fight.

RISING IN ACCOMPLISHMENT TO GREAT EXPECTATIONS

"Like all great Jewish leaders, it was Aaron’s feelings of inadequacy that truly made him fit for his role." [Chabad.org]

Truly looking up to the Divine for help in all that you do, to feel the shininess of G-d's great love for you even on a rainy day.

To walk in the rhythm of the Divine, as G-d leads you wherever you go and in whatever you do and say. Opening your mouth with words and having the Divine place the words of loving-kindness on your tongue. Never to be afraid to say the wrong words, as all your words are guided by Torah and G-d gives you the strength to talk or to remain silent. Sweet sounds of silence brought to you from the Divine, all sounds being pure sounds, noise all dissipating, only the sounds G-d wants you to hear are heard, a miracle to have peace even when in a noisy crowd.

Relaxed whether sitting or standing, words coming like the flow of pure mikvah waters having tastiness on your tongue of honey when none was swallowed, the taste in your mouth being pure, of the words of G-d that you learn in your Torah study, to be a malumud, an eternal student of The Torah, Prophets and Writings, to always be eager to learn, to then teach as your words become enlightened with the righteousness of your study.

To have words of wisdom bestowed upon you from G-d, as He teaches you to love, as He loves you and you then feel His great love and can then give it to others.

To always be surrounded by the great Love of The Almighty G-d of Abraham and Sarah.

THE MIRACLE OF FEELING THE LOVE OF GOD

A miracle does not have to be a big deal, a megillah or a big wow(!!!), we do not have to witness another splitting of the Red Sea or seeing a staff turn into a snake again, and we do not need to see a burning bush personally in our experiences to have as some kind of evidence to ourselves that there is truly an existence of G-d. We do not need to come into contact with G-d in any spectacular way, to believe He exists.

Having a friendship with a mortal, a trusting relationship, a loving relationship, to look into someone's eyes, and to see G-d in someone's face, is a real sure way we can know that G-d exists. To have someone to talk to about whatever you want to say, to have a person who listens and does not judge or try to change your mind, to have a person to confide your secrets with, to trust a mortal and not to be let down, to keep trusting in another if you are let down, to be persistent in friendships, to contact old friends and to keep in touch, even when you do not hear first from them. This persistence in doing mitzvoth, in keeping up contacts with friends and making new friends, and having trust in a best friend, is how we know that G-d is with us. We feel this unconditional love from G-d when we do the action of giving unconditional love to others, and when we get this love returned to us from these people, being friends or family.

It is a miracle to feel G-d, and to feel unconditional love, to feel trust. To have someone to talk to about everything that is on your mind. To feel G-d afterwards, as He continues your flames to burn, the warmth of your love for Him and for mortals.

This is how we can know and feel the love of G-d.

THE MIRACLE OF SHABBAT A DAY OF REST

A miracle, a flower budding. A miracle, a leaf on a tree sprouting. A miracle, to receive free internet access. A miracle, to write a Rabbi and to be in touch. A miracle, to eat all kosher foods. A miracle, to be invited to parties. A miracle, to be in a peaceful state of mind, to be welcoming the Shabbat on a Friday night, to lighten a flame to greet the Shabbat bride, to be in shelter not cold or not hot. To have a paycheck coming in regularly every month, to have all expenses paid, to have three regular meals per day all of kosher foods, to be a member of Jewish Temples and to receive the prayers from the Rabbis, to be blessed by a Rabbi, to be named by a Rabbi, to be able to go back to return to Judaism if ever tempted by another god, a true miracle.

A miracle to have a keyboard with a computer so to actually type with all fingers, to use a rubber ball in the palm to squeeze to build up hand muscles to type better, to be entertained twice a week in a Bingo game, to win a prize and to mail it to your family.

To have a holiday coming up, a Purim, a holiday that expresses anger towards a man named Haman who wanted to kill Jews and to express love for friends of Israel, a time to eat chocolate candy and to receive jewelry, a time to get coins, a time to chant Torah of The Book Of Esther.

The Book Of Esther, a Book in the Torah about a Jewish woman who with her bravery and chutzpah saves the lives of thousands of a community of Jews, and condemns a man of hatred to death. Not to be happy when an enemy dies, instead to be happy because thousands of Jews stay alive.

Dressing up in costume: dolls, wizards, dancers, cowboys, not scary costumes as on Halloween, not worshipping ghosts so there is no fear, costumes of good cheer, to disguise oneself to hide, and then to take off your mask and to be truthful, to be open, to live an honest life of disclosure, to have nothing to hide, nothing of which to be ashamed, "coming out" as a Jew.

Face paint coloring the faces of happy children, all the colors of the rainbow, not getting tattoos, skin as pure and blemish free as the sacrifices that were made to G-d, no rashes no spots, a face of a young child with young skin. A child held in the arms of her grandmother receiving nurturing from one who is wise in years.

Quietness with a contrast of lively Shabbat music, to pray with others, to pray alone. To always be in meditation to have peace in loud places where there are crowds.

To be grateful for another day, to praise and to thank G-d for all these attributes, to feel lucky as we feel blessed to be able to celebrate another Shabbat. Another day of rest.

MAILING PURIM GREETINGS CARDS TO OLD FRIENDS

Purim on its way! Being in touch with old friends, writing postal letters with greeting cards sent across the miles, remembering the good times, reconnecting, having the holiday Purim to mail someone your love, reliving old wonderful moments of them in your imagination, times with old friends, memories that stimulate joyousness, remembering her voice, singing with her, bowing with her to G-d at morning minyans.

Having had it all, joyousness everyday, every morning, wishing and praying for those great times to continue, nurturing relationships, praying again and again for more good times.

Postal mail greeting cards sent as a connection with the estranged, desiring person-to-person contact, wanting again to see her smile, hear her words, learn from her wisdom, the healing feeling of going to her with a problem and receiving her compassion, wisdom and understanding.

Not being able to erect old buildings once they are torn down, building new buildings with bricks that are too heavy to lift, relying on G-d to unite broken hearts.

To bring ease to communications, to cause memories to be alive again, words exchanged, prayers sung, passions ignited, old flames lighted, love becoming unconditional love, kindness that is never forgotten.

Having in your heart the knowledge of this great goodness, having had G-d nurture you when others no longer could, having prayed and having  prayers being answered, wishes coming true. Mingling our voices together as one sound, instead of separate as two.

Having one G-d, one singular almighty powerful good and kind G-d, our Savior, only and exclusively being the G-d of Abraham and Sarah.

THE MIRACLE OF A HELPING HAND

The miracle of special needs children learning aside their non-disabled companions, a child who excels in his craft and even with a disability is able to contribute greatly to society, to help to improve things for others, even when he has a deficit, a brain disorder, or blindness, or is confined to immobility because of not being able to walk, so is in a wheelchair or walks with a cane or walker.

These disabilities are to be overcome, to use one's brain to continue to learn, even when learning comes slower than to others, to try to walk, using one's muscles and stretching them, to not allow a walking disability to impair your functioning.

The elderly and disabled have much to contribute to society and are not just "burdens" in our world who must be sustained with our tax money. The tax money goes to improving the living situation of the disabled/elderly and this is the reason these people have the means to contribute to making the world a better place to live, for all people, for the non-disabled and young, for the disabled and elderly.

Traveling to a place of good will, a place of acceptance, a place where the elderly and disabled are respected and not caused to feel shame. To take shame and to convert it to pride, to be proud to take a first independent step out of a wheelchair, to then not be shamed when you need a wheelchair to assist you. To feel the greatness of our President Theodore Roosevelt as he gave his speeches from his place in his wheelchair. To go to rehabilitation services and not to feel shamed so you must keep it a secret, "only the fittest survive" as Darwin told us.

Not being able to admit your sicknesses, going to your employed job sick with a contagious infection because you do not have enough sick days left to pay for your absence. Pregnant women losing jobs because they do not have enough coverage for all the time they need off to take care of themselves and their soon-to-be baby. An elderly man losing his job because his hair turns white and so he is then thought to be unable to work as well as a younger man. Dying your hair to give an appearance of a reduced age, so you can keep your job or keep your house, to not be forced to stop driving a car because of your age. Applying for social security benefits and receiving them so must stop earning money on your own or you will lose your benefits. The benefits not enough to sustain you as a livelihood.

The miracle of a helping hand, to have support so you can be honest with someone about your needs, to seek the help of another and to receive it. One person giving another a helping hand. G-d reaching out to assist the caregivers, to bring them strength, to help those in need of help, and to help those who help them.

LOVE AS THE STRONGEST OF ALL EMOTIONS

Which emotion causes the lake waters to swarm, to roll in wave after wave, that causes crickets to rub their legs to a consistent rhythm in the night, which emotion guides a mother to raise her children, which emotion keeps a family together, keeping a father continuously going to work everyday to bring in a paycheck for his family.

Which emotion is it that guides someone into happy gleeful moments. How are we caused to laugh, to chuckle, how is it that we are able to smile, what does a summer day do to our emotions, to bring us to run and jump rope, to take long walks on sandy beaches. To be in touch with our friends by email or greetings card on holidays. When we hear a Cantor singing the daily prayers and Shabbat prayers, which emotion causes us to join him and be in sweet beautiful song with him?

When we pray and G-d answers our prayers, which emotion does this cause? When we are given the greatest of all gifts, the contact with the supreme G-d, to thank this G-d and to praise Him, which emotion does this spiritual connection stir within us?

Love, of course, is the answer, it is love that keeps the wheels spinning, it is love that shines like sunshine on the leaf of a flower so it blooms into a beautiful bud. Love is the strongest and most proficient of all emotions, stronger than anger which just serves as a destructive not creative power, love is the emotion that builds the strongest of all bridges, that mends and that heals.

Love is G-d and it is G-d's love that keeps us alive, without love, unconditional love, we would perish.

Thanking G-d for His power to love us, even when we need to be forgiven for transgressions, His power of love never dies, love is the greatest most powerful of all emotions.

You have a choice, you can love or you can hate, choose love and live forever in an eternal life with all things that will give you love in return and in doing so bring you happiness.

Give love unconditionally and those around you will love you back.

THE MIRACLE OF THE DIVINE SPARK OF CREATIVITY

What is this spark? Is it energy, and if so what kind of energy? How is it "divine"? This energy, is it like a pot of water that is boiling in anger and hatred and jealousies and cannot blow its top, so becomes creative as a way to change the negativity into positivity? Is creativity an illness? Were Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein sick individuals and that is how they were able to come up with their creative genius that became a catalyst to change the world? Do we call all of our spiritual leaders crazy people because they preach of a G-d that they can imagine and they teach us how to imagine a G-d too. Do students take art classes because they cannot understand mathematics? Is creativity a result of increased brain activity that is injurious to the brain? Are all artists alcoholics, drug addicts, or crazy?

This cruel stigma against creative people serves to fuel us even more. The spark of creativity we feel is not a spark of ignited hatred against enemies, and we as artists do not imagine that we have enemies when we do not, just to ignite the spark. The spark of creativity is like the spark of a cigarette lighter. It has fuel, real gasoline, that by will is ignited when you want to ignite it, at your command you use your energy to flick the flint and a fire ignites and you control how long the fire will burn. You take your finger and turn off the flame after you see it and enjoy it. The flame is ignited for a reason. You ignite the flame when you want to see fire, like on a Shabbat or a Havdalah if you are a member of the Jewish religion. The flame has a reason to spark and it is all in your control, to see it and not to have it burn out of your control. You as the artist are skilled enough to harness this flame and use it as an expression in the field of the Humanities for the purpose of helping others.

This flame of creativity can be a light to you in your darkest days. It can be an addition to your happiness in your days of great light and brightness. The flame can burn as long as you want it to burn, and as intense as you want it to burn. This flame, like the flame that ignited the imagination of Albert Einstein, could cause healing and a changing of the world into a better place. Brainstorming to get an idea to help someone, instead of taking a backseat and saying instead that you cannot help, is this skill that is ignited by the divine creative spark.

A muse, does not have to be a person, a human, a mortal, instead G-d the Almighty can light your flame. The brightness of your flame can be as bright as a burning bush on Mount Sinai. What indeed was this "burning bush"? It was G-d. What is G-d? G-d is someone who you imagine, He is a figment of our imagination, we can imagine Him and therefore He exists. He is this spark of divinity, this flame of creativity. He is our greatest muse to encourage us to create as He did when He created the sun and the moon, the good and the bad.

This spark of creativity can be lighted by love and the greatest spark will come from your love of G-d.

THE MIRACLE OF "KO-ACH" STRENGTH

Miracles. Having the wind knocked out of you and then beginning to breathe again, strongly huffing and puffing, no asthmatic whiffs.

Lungs firmly and regularly sucking in air with a mantra saying one of G-d's fifty names, exhausting outwards a blown gust, getting rid of evil and wickedness as you blow out your breath of air.

Inhaling goodness, breathing out badness. Lungs expanding thickly like balloons, nostrils gaping widely snorting as the air goes into them and goes out again.

Legs regaining strength leaping like a deer in meadows, on sidewalks, up mountainsides, down canyons, feet painlessly gripping the pavement curling in your toes and commanding long strides, eyes wide open to see rainbows and sunsets and twinkling nighttime stars.

Always having a chair or couch in which to collapse, to rest. Beds welcoming as soft as feathers, blankets warmly tucked under your chin, furry and comfy, puffy pillows easy on the head, soft regular breathing sweetly at night, not snoring, with deep breaths taking in vivid colorful meaningful nighttime dreams, like movies that busy your consciousness, batting the eyes, closing them painlessly, drifting off safely into serious sedated sleep.

THE MIRACLE OF JUSTICE--WHAT COMES AROUND GOES AROUND

What is justice? The miracle of justice is the attainment of the idea that "what comes around goes around."

Happiness is being able to experience awesomeness in what you do, but with the negativity of the fear level that cones with an experience of awe being safely cut down to a level that is bearable and comfortable, that does not cause unrest or agitation or negative stress, that instead comes with ease. Being happy and being relaxed, having just as much and not less as much happiness as others.

Being aware of others who try to compete with your happiness level, saying they are happier than you, but seeing them say this in between tears, because our happiness levels are contingent upon our ethical treatment of other individuals, how you make others feel with what you say and/or do, being stimuli to other's happiness or sadness levels.

People who are really unhappy, wish they were happy and so therefore try to convince themselves that they are happy, by saying they are happier than others. It is their lack of happiness that causes them to have to compete with your happiness level and to say they are more happy, when indeed they are less, but wish they were more.

What is happiness? Happiness is being a causality of someone else's happiness, something that you say or do to make someone else happier, to be happy enough with yourself to share your happiness with others and in this way your happiness grows.

Not to say you are more happy than others are and to say your grass is greener than theirs. Anyone's grass could wither and turn yellow at any time and then you would have no one on your side to help you regain your happiness level, to be happy again. This is because what you did was try to take away someone else's happiness, so instead you lose yours.

What comes around goes around, justice is like the flu. Mistreat another and you too will be mistreated, show someone loving-kindness and you too will experience it. Being kind to someone is how to become happy and be a key reason why others are happy too. In doing this you can have someone with you who is happy like you are and hence to increase the level of happiness everyone feels.

THE MIRACLE OF GOOD FRIENDSHIPS

The miracle of hearing from old friends! Being in touch and exchanging words of love and caring, concern and well being. All for each other, wanting the best for each other.

The longer we keep the friendship the more endearing it becomes. Picturing her face so beautiful, dark raven black hair and deep black pool eyes, with a smile so sincere and so loving, picturing her essence as I type her an email, seeing her beauty in every word we exchange, so carefully considered, using words of love and kindness, of lovingkindness, towards each other.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. She tries to be there for me every week, like clockwork, being there to keep me feeling a sense of being wanted, being needed, someone to show me that she values me, values my friendship.

A landsman of the same faith, a believer in The One Almighty G-d, a believer in urging each other to keep our faith even when times get tough.

A friend who gives of herself, not a monetary material gift, but a gift from her heart, a gift of words and of good feelings, having an emotional attachment to a good wonderful person!

Thanking G-d for her, as she is mine, an old friend, always a friend, someone who cares.

THE MIRACLE OF THE OPEN DOOR

In colorful birdlike free flight, with a wide wingspan of a bold Eagle preying on meat miles below, diving in and out of the sun struck clouds in and out of a silver lining shining reflecting, like a thumbnail put up to a candle flame on the Havdalah, Shabbat candles lighted with closed but not blind eyes, burning so brightly it causes visions of images alive in a dark room.

A Sabbath is coming and the weather will be warm and breezy, lake water waves to rise like challah dough into split waves like split braids. A wall of sea on each side of you as you comfortably confidently walk into the sea walls into the middle of them and not get wet. G-d split the seas and we survived while the Egyptians died.

The Ten Plagues sweeping the continents without vaccines, some living while others die. Darwin tells us it is "the fittest who survive." Drowning in an ocean and pulling down your partner holding onto him by the neck drowning him so that you can keep your head up and breathe.

Desperately trying to make friends by pretending to be in wealth successfully adding to your material possessions with more and more, hoarding, having little rooms, rooms that do not change even when you repaint the walls a different color. Rooms that hold experiences of transgressions against others that you have not apologized for, did no repenting, begged no forgiveness, the room is still the same, the memory is there in the room, a haunted room, a room that carries living dancing dark shadows even in the brightest of sunlight.

A miracle occurs: transcending that room, breaking free, opening the door, unlatching the gate, springing out and spattering the memories of the room onto the sidewalk as you step confidently away, never to return.

THE MIRACLE OF FREEDOM

The miracle of Freedom is all about being the proud owner of free time. It is not about getting into a car and driving anywhere you want to go. It is about having the free time to do what you love to do, to do it everyday, to enjoy life.

Wandering along a shoreline of a beach, not needing to be anywhere, not having a time limit, enjoying a warm sun as long as you want to, not needing to get home to cook dinner or be there before the kids get home, taking long easy steps with your stride, opening your mind to the sounds of the water caressing the shoreline, having one beautiful easy thought after another entertain your mind, taking a different route to a different area at yet another beach, having the free time to enjoy it all, not being harried, not being hurried, walking getting exercise not fighting traffic sitting in a car, not stuck stationary on an expressway with traffic not moving during rush hour.

Leisurely, not needing to be at a paid job, no one pressing you no one demanding anything of you, a free time, the freedom of owning time, time that is all yours for anything you want to do, to think any thoughts you want to think, to spend the day doing what you love to do, and having the time and ease to do it: if that is writing then to write, if it is dancing then to dance, or paint or sing or do whatever it is that makes you happy.

When you are smiling the world around you smiles with you. When you frown, you frown alone. A beautiful existence is having a world of smiling people around you always smiling too and also doing what they want to do in their free time having all the free time in the world.

ONE MIRACLE AFTER ANOTHER

"When times are rough, envision, tomorrow, when all your efforts have paid off.
When times are good, pray for your livelihood at every moment, as a beggar prays for his daily bread.
For everything is in His hands." [Chabad.org]

Opening The Psalms randomly looking for a verse that says what you are looking for without having to look, verses phrases sentences chapters an open book to soothe, to massage, to relax, to protect, to carry always in one's pocket like a wallet that has everything in it that you need. Words of holiness, words of promise, words that tell you that G-d is looking after you, that all you need to do is let go let G-d, all of your wishes and desires will come true.

Praying for healing praying for a livelihood, angels tossing foods out of the clouds, always well fed, always with a place to rest, a song that you sing that always quickens your steps, searching for awesomeness finding it everywhere, clouds disappearing to reveal things you never knew before, all making sense, all the issues crystal clear, having both tallit and tefillin, having the Chumash 5 Books of Moses, the Prophets, and The Writings, not needing a rebellion to find a change, to ask for more or to ask for less, happy with your lot, purity, continuous free thought, a musical note for every word, tropes that sing you to sleep when you are sleepy, tropes that wake you up for breakfast, tropes that give you a feeling of comfort no matter where you are, sounds that are pleasing to the ears, not gossip, not slander, no judgments, no one breaking your fences, no one opening your doors uninvited.

Pleasing-ness and honey dripping as sounds that you hear and imagine, knowing the words of a language of loving-kindness, having a language you can speak to yourself, listening to yourself, not arguing with yourself. Having all the time in the world to enjoy each word as it comes and goes, not to hear sounds that you do not want to hear. Waters flowing and the sweet sounds of waterfalls trickling as birds sing, as children play on playground equipment, clapping or not as you wish, not having your ears bent, catching breezes that pass through the leaves of trees but catching them indoors on a freezing day, warmth inside, warm coffee to soothe the throat, hot chocolate after tobogganing, sledding up Mount Zion the holy hill with jingle bells on the hem of your skirt, reaching the top in defiance of gravity, walking on the moon with no resistance, walking on water and floating.

Everyday there is a miracle, everyday is a new miracle and after everyday will follow an even more miraculous night.

SEASONAL COLD INTO WARMTH MIRACULOUSLY KEEPS CHANGING

A miracle not going out into the cold, warm blankets and heater shooting 4th of July spectacular fireworks, clicking a stone flint to light a flame, magnifying wood to burn a hole, a holy menorah with seven arms reaching upwards, hugging seven branching out arms to get cozy.

A miracle being warm on a cold day, boots keeping the feet dry climbing up the leg, knees warm bending in fleece, snow outside of strong thick walls not to come in, snowflakes seen from a window while looking outside, warm thick sweaters woven of red crimson wool pulling knitted hats over ears and wind not whistling, trees barren to hibernate and grow sweet fruit again soon.

Shades drawn candles lighted, darkness not seemingly dark instead flames dancing as shadows streak upwards, television sets as a lighted screen while watching a movie with lights turned on.

Fireplaces being fed logs and chips of wood sitting nearby warming and rubbing with friction on cold dry skin, speaking words of a warm song not wetting the lips and they will not chap.

A winter with no effect not freezing, cold instead being all bundled up. Postponing outdoor walks but sledding, tobogganing, skating, skiing, all in a warm winter coat covered.

Fur coats fur hats fur gloves, a furry polar bear rug to feel soothingly on the feet in warm slippers, wearing warm snuggly boots.

Time passing and the sun will again shine brilliantly but not from the north pole, mountains with snowcaps will melt, birds will again sing in sweet song. Ducks will be flying north with feathers shedding, freezing lakes will be swimmable warmly and the skin will be wet.

Seasons will speed by fast in a winter snowstorm to be a springtime rain shower, cold into heat and then heat into cold again, weather changing clouds moving following a sundial.

Sunrays changing cold winter blasts into soothing breathy sighs.

Cold nights again will be warm.

CREATING YOUR OWN MIRACLES

"We have to be willing to create our own miracles." [Kabbalah Centre]

Using your imagination to create your own miracles: being in darkness but lighting a match, feeling stiffness in your knees but stretching and flexing them until they are limber, hearing the sound of a bird and using its notes to write a song, wearing a pair of jeans until they are incredibly soft, using your foot to tap out a beat to the sound of rushing lake water waves, blinking away the tears in your eyes until you can see clearly, putting on a soft sweater instead of being in the cold, washing your hands so you feel clean, brushing your teeth so you can taste a minty flavor, drinking a cup of hot black tea so you feel rejuvenation, contemplating spiritual thoughts to feel holy, breaking a piece of challah bread to pass out to a friend, singing a song as though you are a cantor, smiling at a passer by to show him acceptance with a cheerful countenance, cook a meal using your favorite spices, lend someone a hand who is afraid to ask for it, celebrate someone's birthday as if it is your own, listen for an echo of a tree branch falling when you are the only one in a forest and having this echo be your experience and yours alone, giving to the poor even if you are poor yourself, putting a coin into a beggar's cup, buying him a meal, guiding a blind man, dancing joyously to a rhythm that you hear in your own head...

Thanking G-d for being alive and that you are able to  create your own miracles and to think of miracles to create.

A CONNECTION WITH AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN

Wondering where and wondering why, hearing no response, cause to worry, silence when there should be active laughter, no one picking up the phone, not wanting to say "I told ya so."

Those who banish you will be banished, the poor will be exalted, everything you ever wanted is yours to keep, not wanting anything, responsibility coming with material item ownership, living a free life free existence, not being called upon, not in charge, not an assistant. Miracle of miracles, to be free to be you and me.

To do what you want to do when. To live your life according to your whims, to play games all day. To put together puzzles, to deal out a deck of cards, to play chess. To draw a picture, to write a poem. To do everything you ever wanted to do, to do it with ease, to do it anytime of any day.

Having an audience as yourself. Being the one to read what you write, seeing your own artwork, not putting up a show or showing off. Not blowing a shofar from a mountaintop, easing into sweet tunes of music that have no alert, sitting in a seat and feeling comfortable not edgy.

Licking your lips after eating pizza, tomato sauce and roasted vegetables, a garden of veggies atop a piece of dough, dough like a plate that holds a treasure.

Always being in treasure, having her when you want her, always being able to say hello to her. A connection with an angel from heaven.

THE MIRACLE OF SURVIVING SLIPPERY ICE AND SNOW

"The kindness and special quality in G-d's making man upright, to walk erectly, is that though he walks on the earth he sees the Heavens; not so with beasts that go on all fours; they see only the earth." [Chabad.org]

Falling on ice and never getting hurt, a miracle.

Rolling one's body with the fall, legs strongly agile and never bruising, miracles of health when there was supposed to be illness, relaxed muscles never tensed not twisting as you hit the ground.

Falling at least once every winter, a ritual to call upon G-d for healing, for G-d to create the repetitive miracle not to ever be hurt or afflicted. No bruising no bumps no discomfort, easy sliding onto a bed of soft fluffy white snow feathers like the filling of a quilt, never needing help to rise back up.

Snowfalls softly and swiftly doing damage but not to me. A snowfall with no ill effects no potentiality of doom following its spreading of ice upon the ground.

Walking surely and steadily onward and upright, not to worry and not to anticipate an incident, instead to enjoy the flakes upon one's tongue as they melt like white chocolate and satiate the appetite accompanied with a cup of a hot chocolate drink.

Rolling in the snow and spreading your arms to create a snow angel with a large wingspan like a guardian angel image to reflect that G-d made the snow and He said it was good.

THE MIRACLE OF FREE MANNA FROM THE HEAVENS

"Led by G-d’s pillar of cloud, the people proceeded on their journey toward Mount Sinai. On the 15th of Iyar, the Jews ran out of matzo. G-d then began to feed them with manna, a type of bread that descended from heaven each morning." [Chabad.org]

Manna falling from heaven instead of dried tasteless matzo. Manna falling free of cost not to pay for it but like rain coming down in torrents of body and mind nourishment, kosher foods kosher manna, keeping within the dietary laws as taught to us in The Torah.

Choosing kosher foods instead of non-kosher foods, eating them as manna. Manna being white wafers that taste like white pure cow's cream, creaminess and sweetness like a cheese, a free holy white wafer sweet in its taste, tastiness coming down from the heavens for the Israelites to eat free of cost as they journey from Egypt to the Promised Land for 40 years, having free delicious foods while they walk, bringing the Promised Land closer and closer every year, satisfied with manna and eating it to their heart's delight.

G-d giving the Israelites everything they ask for, ask G-d and you shall receive. Thankfulness after a full meal of manna, praising G-d for His generosity and then again eating more manna. Free tasty manna falling from the heavens forever.

Never to hunger or thirst again, under G-d's loving care.

PRAYERS THAT SAVE LIVES

Shema! Hear, listen, be attentive, call upon G-d when you need Him, channel your prayer petitions through your spiritual leader, to beckon G-d with sweet song and tender whispers to a G-d Who answers prayers.

Looking up and bowing down, giving Him all of your love so He responds to your prayers, having Him know that you are holy and deserving of His love, deserving to save someone's life, a life of a loved one when you ask Him to.

Having Him shower His affections on you with the love of a Mother, with the pride of a Father, to always honor your Father and Mother, Mother and Father, to always honor G-d Who can take away a life or save a life or create a life.

There are prayers, yes, like the Shema, that will move Him into action, always to carry these prayers on the tip of your tongue, as a mantra, to breathe steadily and regularly, to feel one's breath inside your lungs, to feel the source of your breath, the source of your strength, the source of your peace.

To breathe evenly, the source of each breath being in G-d's hands, as He continues your life and the lives of those you love.

Thank You G-d, I love You.

HOW TO END A WAR

Turning hatred into love, not responding to negative stimulation, loving one's enemies, forgiving all malice and hatefulness, smiling at one who frowns at you, reflecting blows like a human shield, no arrows penetrating, dropping one's weapons, holding out a hand for a handshake, complimenting someone instead of insulting him, giving an enemy a gift, do an act of kindness for him, listen to his problems and offer support, tell  him you come in peace not in war, offer to care for his hurts, do not be suspicious and always expecting a blow, instead if there is a blow to blow back a kiss.

Turn aside one's cheek and do not retaliate, the initiators of ill will are not reprimanded it is the retaliators who are punished.

Use your sense of peace to stay calm in the range of fire, say nothing negative, defend yourself but do not get entangled, walk away, turn around, say nothing back, hold your tongue and put down your sword.

Say you are sorry even if you are not at fault, forgive and forget, do not hold grudges.

Walk in the steps and the ways of the angels, as Jacob struggled with an angel, so too will you have your struggles, not to get hurt and not to do the hurting, to say and to mean "shalom."

TURNING LEMONS INTO LEMONADE

The miracle of turning lemons into lemonade. The sourness becomes sweetness, an enemy becomes a friend, someone who is grieving becomes one who rejoices, one who is poor accepts his lot, one who is rich gives to the poor and then he is no longer poor, a widow falls in love and thrives in a new relationship, a child who lost his mother finds love in an aunt, a man who quits school is given a second chance and a scholarship for a free education, a man who is unhappy learns how to be gracious and to thank G-d for everything and then becoming happy.

A man who cannot face reality is given a reality that he can face, a woman who was not raised in a religious home finds G-d and makes Him her one true love, a girl who is told she is disabled rises higher in her accomplishments than anyone else in her family, a boy who is told he is dumb becomes a scholar and a graduate from the best university, a man who cannot walk exercises his legs everyday until he is able to run, a woman who talks to no one keeping all to herself is able to write an autobiography and then give a speech about her life to an audience.

Turning lemons into lemonade is fun, not work, because drinking it up is your reward.

THE MIRACLE OF THE SENSE OF SMELL

Smells. The miracle of smells. What is a good smell and what is a bad smell. Turning up one's nose, smelling everything in one's environment, complaining about bad smells, being thankful for good smells. Delightful smells. smells that turn upward the corners of one's mouth, smiling when a perfumed scent comes close to your nose, a smell of soap, a smell of lotion, a smell like a flower that was made to attract a bee, not being a bee, but loving those smells, making your own honey, having a honey who smells good.

Knowing someone's unique scent, the smell of one's mate. Washing and bathing, purifying and squirting on a scent, a smell to recognize, a smell that is based on a good experience, a positive smell, a smell from a fruit tree, the smell of a holy etrog on Sukkot.

A smell one will never forget, a smell that leads you towards the right place, a smell of home, a smell of bread baking. A smell of fresh air, air that has no smell, your nose being always busy, trying to identify smells.

The smell of success, as a positive experience, the resting of one's nose and nostrils as one smells  oneself to sleep.