Shadows on a Sidewalk #ThursdayTreeLove

Last night was Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish New Year (but so much more is involved).

Quoting History.com:
"Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Yom Kippur holiday, also known as the Day of Atonement."

These next 10 days (The Days of Awe) end a period of self reflection for practicing Jews, including deep thought on what each and everyone of us can do to make the world a better place to live in.  It is a time for renewal and for spiritual connection.

These next 10 days also require us to face what we fear the most, and require us to examine how we can repair relationships, and reach out to others we may have hurt or not done enough to maintain a relationship.

A number of people I know were impacted by hurricanes Harvey and Irma.  I also have friends who are connected to friends or family in Puerto Rico,damaged so heavily by Hurricane Maria.  Mexico City has suffered a major earthquake. Meanwhile, I sit here dry, with a roof over my head, and no major health issues. 

The other week, I read a quote by Thomas Jefferson on a blog:

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.

For many right now, there is no sunshine, only shade, only suffering.  What I can do to make the world better after these natural events?  What can I do to move us back into the sunshine?  That will be one of my challenges.

For now, I want to thank all of you for spending a few minutes reading today's post. 

You, my readers, are part of my sunshine.  You encourage me, you comfort me, you listen to what I write about. 

Today, on our last full day of summer, I would like to thank you for this past year of your readership.  I thought of this quote the other day, as I saw sunshine on a sidewalk and the shadow of a tree losing its leaves.

May the coming year have less shade for you, and much more sunshine, friendship, and good times.

Now, all of us - yes, all of us, now have to work our way through the shade next few weeks and months.

One day the sun will come out again.