Friday, 13 November 2015

I had trouble getting to sleep last night, but I eventually did and slept well. However, I didn't get up in time for a walk, and I was also a bit depressed and anxious when I first woke up. I felt better after I got up, though, of course, and I did walk down before breakfast to buy challah for Shabbat.

I taught 4 units of Berlitz lessons today, back to back: 10:00-11:30 and 11:30-1:00. The first student was located in the south of France, and the second one in Finland.

I went to an appointment with my psychiatrist today at 1:30, and it was good to be able to talk a little with him about my current crisis. I'm thankful that at least I'm not at all suicidal -- that would REALLY scare me!

I had a simple lunch of vegan weenies wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla, chips and salsa, and another tortilla with carob-peanut spread. For dessert, I ate half of a white chocolate bar.

As the sun was about to disappear from our beautiful valley, I lit candles (and sang the blessing while gazing out the window at the mountains of Edom), drank a little sweet red wine (after singing the blessing while looking the other direction at a mountain in Egypt -- the blessing specifically mentions the exodus from Egypt), and ate a bite of challah to welcome Shabbat.

In the evening, I spent some time composing a message which I plan to send out to a list of close friends and family members, probably tomorrow, telling more details about my current situation. I also plan to post it for friends on Facebook.

I leave you with the first words from the 23rd Psalm, which I took as a personal promise to me this morning when I was feeling anxious:

The Eternal is my shepherd, I will lack nothing     יי רועי לא אחסר