I Thought I Had More Time

Dear Friends:

For more than the past month, I have been preparing because I know the consequences of not being prepared. You see I lost my Hurricane Andrew so my preparedness began by seeing China as the storm watch, then Italy as the storm warning. Those of us familiar with these terms know that watches and warnings precede the storms arrival.    

Wouldn’t it be great if when this blows over we can hug, kiss and say to one another “thank G-d we have more time”. More often than not though, people have said to me “I thought I had more time” with (insert someone You love or yourself). It’s times like these that people can choose to make the greatest changes for the better and do so by learning the art of sacrificing our desires.

The changes I made (besides stocking up for mom and I) have been with acuity to bless us with future hugs, compassionate greetings and a deepening of faith. With regard to those I serve, we are all doing our best to make things work. This week one couple will read the ceremony I wrote for them and will mail me their application to marry to certify for the courts. (we do what we have to do). Zoom meetings will be the near futures way of consulting.

Caring for myself while my mom adjusts to the new currents of life is a hurdle I am still in the midst of. Quieting my mind, davening (prayer), sunshine and exercise; all with greater frequency have helped considerably. To help my immediate family and friends, I made essential oil roll ons for viral protection. If interested, I’m happy to share the recipe. Dinner with the kids and grandkids via FaceTime is the new norm.

My prayers for those currently on the front lines as well as everyone who has been effected one way or another. I hope and pray you will be part of the solution and not contribute to the problem. I hope you will take measures to protect yourself and others. I urge you to think of the global needs before feeding your own social desires. Old habits don’t have to “die hard” and neither do we.  

May it be so that we are able to hug one another again soon and instead of saying “I thought I had more time”, we’ll say “Thank G-d we have more time”

And so it is written…

Rabbi Melinda “Bracha” Bernstein

(954) 901-1355

Dance Me To The End Of Love (a song by Leonard Cohen)
with my father, of blessed memory, who in my dreamtime today, suggested this message happen.