In these most challenging times—
What are my challenges:
- A pandemic that has already killed over 200,000 citizens and there is no end date.
- A president who is unfit to serve and has divided this country within and has tarnished our reputation outside our borders, who lies and is guilty of too many unlawful acts that go unpunished, who practices racism and antisemitism and all the other isms; who ignores to our peril, climate change that is causing fires and floods we recall at Passover –and the list goes on—
- The pandemic and the president are challenging, make me sad and uncertain about our legacy for future generations.
What gives me joy?
- My blessing of family — my husband of 50+ years, kids and 7 grands who, during the need to social distance have stayed close through outdoor dining and constant communication on line. My sister and her family in Atlanta. And friends all over the country whom we Zoom to stay in touch.
- The blessing of good health— as a long-time survivor of ovarian cancer, I have seized the opportunity to give back by serving as Co-chair of Dana-Farber’s Susan Smith Center for Women’s Cancers; by riding in the 2020 Virtual Pan Mass Challenge as a 25- year rider with my husband Bob who is a prostate cancer survivor and a 34-year rider— and raising more funds this year than ever – for Dana-Farber’s cutting edge research and life-saving treatments.
- The blessing of hands-on volunteerism—as a Board member of Boston theater, music and a health and hospital organizations and as an active member of a start-up non-profit, Paradigm for Parity® , with over 100 companies around the globe, whose mission is to provide a solution for companies world-wide to attain 50% women and men of color in their top management.
- The blessing of exercise — like RBG, I work out daily and proudly, and do a 5- minute plank every other day.
- The blessing of curiosity — that gets me engaged in politics and community.
- The blessing of TBE — though we are not active, we are members who appreciate TBE as our spiritual center for remembrance, support and healing and feel so lucky to be a part of a congregation whose clergy inspire us — and whose mission of social justice is a hallmark of why TBE?
