Birthday wishes......

Today is my birthday. I am turning 46 years old.  WHOO HOO

Here are some of my thoughts today. Birthday gratitude and blessings:

Grateful for friends near and far, long-standing and new, those who i've met IRL and those who haven't, for every kind word or sharing of support and care......
Grateful for every compassionate exchange, even amid the chaos
Grateful for honesty and genuine sharing, for those willing to open up vulnerabilities and invite others in
Grateful for those who respond to those vulnerable moments with gentle tenderness
Grateful for those who have shared learning moments, even difficult and painful ones
Grateful for those who wished me well, even if only in their hearts, and for those who gave me the opportunity to wish them well, too
Grateful to be surrounded by love in my home
Grateful for warm blankets, food in the refrigerator, and nice neighbors
Grateful to be able to work, and to do work that fills me with purpose and strength.... and at times that swadharma thing....
Grateful to teachers and guides, in all forms
Grateful to be able to live in Israel and be part of this 2000 year-old mission
Grateful to all those protecting the protectors, the ones looking after my children-soldiers as they protect the Jewish people
Grateful for sane voices amid insanity
Grateful for moments of hope
Grateful to God for giving me yet another year to try and get things right....

And what i wish for the world on this birthday (blessings):

I wish for more things like this to be grateful for, more moments of hope, sanity, compassion and vulnerability
I wish for surprising and exciting experiences of love, friendship and connectivity
I wish for warring parties to be gripped with the realization that the people they are hurting are people just like themselves
I wish for an end to sexism and patriarchy, big and small, whispered and systemic, deliberate and incidental
I wish for the men (and others) who harm women (and others) -- whether they are aware or not whether with words, bodies or other weapons -- to find humility and self-silence
I wish for women of the world to find their/our powers
I wish for an end to conscious or unconscious racism, homophobia, and all other ideas that enable people to think of another person as an object to be hunted rather than as a human being with a spirit
I wish for terrorists of all faiths, ideologies and personalities to have their weapons and ideas disabled once and for all

These are the things that i wish for this year.... the things that keep me up at night that i pray for constantly.

That... and a new laptop, a working dryer, and a car.....

But mostly peace in the world......<3

Best, 

Elana