Featured Refresh
Text & Image
Talk about what you think the world will be like after the pandemic is over.
I’m afraid the world after the pandemic will be filled with a lot more dark than light. We are seeing that already as we are presented with more opportunities to polarize. The internet is a wonderful source of information, and we used to say you could find just about anything out there. I think it’s been improved, and now you can indeed find anything...but the flip side of anything is everything, and that’s there too. And we are just coming off 4 years of a new definition of facts, alternate facts, and fake news. It used to be hard to tell what was false...that’s been flipped and now it’s hard to tell what’s true. This has created a great divide in our nation, and expanded beyond our borders. People are angry and fearful, and don’t no what's true and not true and the consequences of that are piling up. Can we get past what’s good for me, to what’s best for we? The economic effects are dire for so many, people will be looking for quick fixes, and we haven’t yet seemed to learn that short term gains may not be in our long term interests. I hope I’m wrong, I wish I saw fields of flowers not just dried up hulks of old trees in what should be the land of milk and honey as envisioned in earlier times.
November 18, 2020
Text & Image
How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
It's fall in New England and it's my favorite time of year. My child (daughter--pronouns are they, their, them) received their first vaccine shot this past week and the sense of relief I feel is enormous. These beautiful leaves makes me think of them: a vibrant person inside and out. Since they received the vaccine, I have really been thinking about them, how fast it all goes and they are only 11 1/2. They were so excited to receive the shot and there was no fear in their eyes , as there usually is with the flu shot, for example. The smile afterward was so contagious. That night when we lit the Sabbath candles and said the blessings to welcome in the Sabbath, we added another prayer called the Shehechiyanu. It means, "Blessed are you, God, who has given us life, sustained us and allowed us to arrive in this moment." The blessing is usually said when we do something for the first time that year and this seemed a completely appropriate moment to recite it. My husband, myself and our child recited it together and one could feel the meaning for us and our relief. But, I still have my 11 1/2 year old child who repeatedly says, "My friends and I are one step closer to having a sleepover!" Now there is my 11 1/2 year old child. Don't grow up too fast.
November 19, 2021