Thursday, 21 May 2015

I got up early this morning and decided to walk the other directions, to the gym, as I used to do. It was nice for a change, and the weather was really wonderful out this morning.

Today was my first day back working. I wasn't sure exactly how that would go, but it was fine. In fact, the distraction was very good. Still, I'm glad I did NOT go back earlier. I taught only 6 units of Berlitz lessons today: 9:30-11:00, 11:00-12:30, and 2:30-4:00.

For lunch, I went down to Ice Park and had a small meal at Café Café. But first I went and took advantage of one of the full-body massages (in a machine that uses warm water) that I had paid for earlier at Dream Spa there.

Here's today's story about David:

Stories about David: Project Caring

When David and I first got together, he introduced me to a project that our synagogue, Beth Chayim Chadashim (BCC), in Los Angeles had been doing for some time. Once a month, a few members gathered at a nursing home to bring a short Shabbat morning service to the residents there. I agreed to go, and it quickly became a monthly routine for David and me.

David told me that, when other members had first invited him to participate, he was reluctant because he wasn’t sure he could deal with the end-of-life situation that such a place so often represents. But they persuaded him, and he had already learned to cherish it. It was easier for me, because I had already been in similar places a number of times.

The staff would bring about 10 to 20 residents into the common area room where we did the service. We always brought one of BCC’s Torah scrolls with us, but we never had an actual Torah service or even took its covering off. Many of the residents were too far gone to really even know what we going on, but they enjoyed the singing and the sense that someone was there paying attention to them. We always took the Torah around so that those who wished to do so could touch it. And there were a few of the residents were really DID know what was happening and especially appreciated it. I’m sure, actually, that not all the people there were Jewish, but that didn’t matter at all.

If David hadn’t gotten me involved with Project Caring, I’m not sure that I would have gone on my own. But I grew to treasure the experience, and it became so meaningful for me.