* Very early AM - I had a strong headache yesterday for an extended period of time. Then, finally, it faded, though didn't completely disappear...

I am grateful for physical and emotional feelings that come and that pass.

I wrote an acrostic alphabet poem today and a few of the lines, I think, were strong. Like this none:

Depth in simplicity is a deep, not simple, thing.

One of my favorite ways to learn and to teach is through words and images that seem simple but somehow capture deep ideas.

I want to be grateful. I am grateful for that


** Mid Morning - I wish I could be outside all the time, it makes me feel good/better. Writing to some extent uplifts me, but in a different way than being outside. I wonder what the philosophy of Henry David Thoreau is actually like. Of late I think of him and his being outside for living and, I think, walking a lot. i dream of walking and walking and walking, outside, outside, outside.

Sometimes in life there are things to do. We (I ) assume that the spiritual life I want is found in tranquil meditation and the like (Torah learning, teaching, etc.). Lately I have been called repeatedly by responsibilities small and large. the message may be that taking care of the nuts and bots of seeming physical life is a big part of true spiritual service/derech ha'avodah. So now is a time to pause from writing for doing.

*** Late Night

Today was my birthday and I received blessings from people I know from about 40 different places.  Thank G-d.

So much to say/not to say.  May G-d bless me and you and each of us this year.