DIMINUTIVE----SUPERLATIVE---HUH?

Practically every week a day or two before the blog is due a title enters my mind without a particular context.

As I sit down to write, a context begins to form.

Two days ago I thought Small is not necessarily less than Big. Sometimes something small can bring more comfort, especially for a baby or small child. Then I thought, something big and fluffy can be easier to grab hold of by that small child.

Now I am thinking of examples: a tune versus a symphony. Each has its place in life: a room versus an apartment or a house:

a new pair of shoes versus a whole new outfit: a first marriage versus a first meeting: a single day versus a whole year.

There are many to conjure. As my life grows longer and my years grow shorter I have begun to emphasize SMALL or SHORT!

Simple pleasures have become magnified. This one could be the last! Large problems become magnified as well. They seem insurmountable given that time has shortened. Small greetings and gestures hold more power for me, offered or received.

I am reminded of the frequent expression, "a pinch of salt. A small addition can bring out the flavor more than a large one.

Of course I still do allow myself to wander into big plans once in a while, but I do not set them up for too much time from now!

Currently, I am working on learning Mandarin from an internet site. Language well spoken is pure music to me. I have no special goal in mind since I have already visited China some time ago. My daughter got married to a Sri Lankan in Hong Kong, and my partner and I traveled into other parts of China at that time. I have never thought of Mandarin becoming part of my linguistic panoply. Is it a small plan ---short term, or is it a long term one? Undecided.

There are different ways to confront growing older, for sure. Perhaps it is time to examine your willingness to make long and short term plans (preferred word to "goals"). Examine how real they feel or how useless or unreal.

Are you playing with yourself? Shortchanging yourself? My husband and I have been invited to spend two weeks in Florida during December. The plan is a family visit with grandchildren (three of them out of four). It is a short term plan, but I do allow for surprises! It is analogous to sewing on a button without biting off the tail of the thread. I am letting the tail dangle!

Life does seem relatively short from this end, and yet who knows? Most of my life has been spent one day at a time; the grand times and the pitfalls given equal measure.

So "small vs. large", what does that truly mean?

My body is small; my vision is big. My budget is small; my appetite is big. My mind is deep; my body grows weak.

C'est la vie---an old French adage that finally comes full circle!

A bientot, my life has been long; my hours are short.

MISS RHEINGOLD

CAN A LIFE BE SUMMARIZED?

Books and films and stories of all kinds, as well as experiences, can be summarized with a twist or straight forward, as factually as possible. I am musing at the idea of how to summarize my own rather colorful life, and, as the puzzle pieces begin to be assembled, I cannot assume mine to be "one life" since the variations are so disparate.

There are periods that resemble dynasties, ruled by different parts of me, parts so distinct from one another, and in different locations often in different languages, seeking to rule different talents and forego others that would have been dominant during another period. I am leaving that, perhaps, as a run-on statement!

I am beginning to look for a trend, or Ariadne's thread, to pull it all together. No one has requested this of me, by the way. It is just that I have recently learned about the Chinese tradition of burning objects at an ancestor's grave that may be needed in the other world. Mexicans do something similar on "Day of the Dead".  They lay items that were loved and appreciated by the deceased, on top of the person's grave ----often with a framed photo of the individual.

There have been several divisions in my life span which, on the surface, seem to obliterate one another. However, the underlying emotions remain---the driving force that forged these multiple changes remains constant as I look back in reflection. My search to express love, perhaps even greater than receiving it led to my creation of a personal map.

The occupations: Poet, acting and directing in live theater, modeling, camp counselor, social worker, traveler, language teacher, translator, editor, gay rights initiator, recreational director for   the severely disabled, and those personal roles that occupy much of our emotional development: friend, lover, wife, mother, business partner. Albeit there has been marked divergence in these last roles!

The thread is unwinding into a steady direction: to pour out my love of life into everything I enjoy and everyone I have become close to. Ahha! A thread unfurled to receive love which all of us cram for, to release it,  letting it flow into an independent river whose banks surround me, my trend has been discovered. This muddled dilemma no longer seemed to be so inexplicable! I omitted the strict religious life I took on for a few years in order to offer deep love to a family member.

Looking forward to a few more years during which a new spool of thread may entwine the former ones, Hear Ye!

MISS RHEINGOLD

TRUNK: Standards..... LEAVES: Expression ROOTS: Emotions

Sometimes ideas or phrases occur to me, as I am sure they do to all of us, and I am not sure what they mean to convey exactly.

Maybe it should be expressed the other way around.....roots first, then trunk, and then leaves?

The way I express my thinking and feeling accounts for all three, but the basis of my ideas stems from my standards:

i.e., standards of speech, decorum, style of dress, behavior, ideals, family connections, language affiliation, types of relationships, nationality and religious affiliation, if any.

The problem is before any displayed or felt emotions; my "standards" jump out and insist on being addressed!

As they are witnessed, the leaves are revealed: the expression with which my standards are revealed.

Then, what would logically be first, (i.e., the roots), comes last, as I examine the basis of those choices.

So, what is the conclusion I am drawing? I am a developed marionette!

First I judge, next I express that judgment, and then I examine the roots----rather than the basis of those roots.

This appears to be backwards. With trees, we plant first to establish the roots, and then we remark the beginning growth, and last the beauty and abundance of the leaves.

What I am explaining is how much I am tied to pre-existing beliefs and appearances. There is so much here that does not meet my standards that I am often unwilling to set those standards aside and let something new be revealed! Am I a bigot? Perhaps, although I would have heretofore considered myself to be a liberal.

I have come to realize my planting shortcomings! I appear to be flexible but my stretching is more accomplished on the Yoga floor!

Would love to hear from you about this conclusion!

This week there is a Fasting Day in Judaism-----(Wednesday),to reflect, to apologize for mistakes in behavior this past year, and to take full stock of one's merits and failures while awaiting divine judgment.

This is a fulsome day of awe! Perhaps we all deserve this opportunity regardless of our religious (or lack of) beliefs.

Miss Rheingold

HARDER TO BE A MENSCH THAN A MASTER!

The Jewish New Year took precedence over delivering the blog on the usual day, (Monday). My husband and I are living a secular life for the most part, but Jewish holidays are very accented here as in most of Israel. This was to be the day God finished his job of creating the world about 5000 years ago! We give it a two day close down (all public transport and 99% of stores closed (100% on Yom Kippur next week).

So, this past week I have been thinking about the many masters in Art, Literature, Mathematics, Philosophy, Science, Inventions (now High Tech), Plumbers, Electricians, and a mountain of others who help to make our lives smoother. I have recently met a few Menschen (Yiddish) who are just caring, thoughtful, gentle people who are a pleasure to run into unexpectedly! After considering why I like to fall into the graces of such people, I realized that they do not dwell in large numbers! They remember details about you that you want remembered. They have a compliment to offer you when most needed and least expected. There are usually no prizes handed out for their contributions, (although I have a good friend here who has been awarded "Volunteer of the Year").

Some have a dignity that is difficult to describe---they wear it, walk it, speak it, and never leave the house without it! I am very attracted to it. I remember once remarking to someone--ultra many years ago----that I would love to be "demure", if only for a few hours!

Well, I have been told that I am "a real mensch", a very caring person, and I do make an effort to be that. It is not fully natural, however, or at least it does not always feel that way. I do know, though, that it has to be easier, for me anyway, than being a master!

Funny how many masters are so wound up in their mastery that they fail at being a mensch------a great Yiddish (also German, of course) word is the noun "menschlekeit": the practice or quality of being a fine and real human being.

So I am offering a welcome substitute for genius---BECOME A MENSCH---or more of one if you are one already!

It seems people need us as much as plumbing and court trials!

Yom Kippur coming up---next week---fasting for your sins---after apologizing this past week for any offense or insult we may have incurred upon any individual or group.

Fun to be with you,

MISS RHEINGOLD

WHAT REALLY MAKES YOU HAPPY?

There is a story by Sholom Aleichem that I heard at a summer camp comfortably over fifty years ago. I was a counselor who was sitting in the bunk of the head counselor who chose to tell a few of us this tale. The title may have been the name of the principal character, "Bunsche Schweig". I am not certain. He was so good during his lifetime that God offered him anything he wanted ----from all the glory and physical luxuries that appeared in the physical world. God listed all the good he had done while alive, constant deeds for others, taking care of those who needed help.

He had been a simple man, certainly not a wealthy one!

He is not regretting having passed away (funny how we do avoid the word "died"), but he does have one important request."What is it?" God asked.

"Could I have a hot roll and coffee?" he replied.

Now, this week I am feeling lazy after an overloaded week that just passed, and did not have a blog theme floating through my mind. However, I was able to have my delight just about every day after my exercise class.

A beat-up frothy machine made ice coffee (just about all artificial ingredients!)----very low cost, served so frothy the straw can hardly pass through it!It gives me an inordinate amount of high level pleasure!

I so look forward to it, usually sipping it alone before taking a bus home, that I know I can say (or even write) it is probably the first thing I would request if God interrogated me!

Maybe we all have a simple pleasure that makes us a little embarrassed to mention when the question posed is,

"What really makes you happy?"

My second abundant pleasure comes from a manicure when needed which I set up by appointment on the phone.

I look forward to the day and hour approaching. Am I deep? Yeah, pretty much, but the smaller pleasures sit at the base of my emotional spine!

I enjoy a smile or friendly nod on the street or on the bus from a light weight friend or even a stranger (there are always a few of those who think they know me).

I am a sucker for a morning kiss from my husband; we have no house pets in Eilat, but they were always lap welcomed when we did.

A friend's email or phone call------sheer delight! Last, but not least, entering a Yoga class early and watching people arrive and stretch out on their mats.

Ok! I have revealed my simple side-----the deeper pleasures to be discussed in a future blog---there are many!!

Happy Jewish New Year (coming up soon!)

Miss Rheingold