Guest Blog by Nan Toby Tyrrell

One of the joys of being Jewish is the opportunity to stop my ordinary life on Friday at sunset and light two white Sabbath candles, repeat the prayers, and let go of the present anxieties and everyday concerns. Instead I turn my soul, heart, and mind to a higher power and ask G-d for forgiveness and give gratitude for all the good things that have happened to me this week.

This helps me focus on the positive unexpected moments that bring me joy each day: the early morning walk with my dog where we enjoy looking at the sixteen cows and calves in the large pasture where they live a good life; and the sudden swoop of crows and starlings dancing through the skies.

When I take a long deep breath I realize how lucky I am to be alive and have some kind and caring neighbors who stop by and say hello and leave a card.The beauty of looking at the cedar and pine trees and noticing the red leaves falling and listening to the silence at dusk.

By lighting my candles I realize another kind of time. And I allow myself just to be thankful that at the age of 79 I am alive, living alone with my dog in my small and older home. And through the grace of some kind of higher power, my body and heart keeps going.

I wanted to share how this small tradition keeps me rooted to the beauty of Judaism for me. The gift of the Sabbath is the covenant between G-d and man and woman. As stated in the Old Testament (Exodus 31:17) the Sabbath is seen as “the sign between Me and the children of Israel.” Therefore, when I honor the seventh day as one of rest and repose and take time to re-connect with the natural world, I can leave the everyday world behind for a special time:

• To sing songs of praise and devote myself to prayer and gratitude for all the gifts I have
  been given.
• To pay attention to what lies in front of me – the trees, the small wildflowers, the blue heron, the sparrows – and listen to the songbirds and see the mountains and sky above me.

In his classic book, The Essence of Judaism, Leo Baeck explores the many Biblical and Talmudic sources of the Sabbath. He describes the Sabbath as a way to experience peaceful hours and remember your relationship with G-d. “One of the gifts with which Judaism has enriched mankind is the custom of setting aside certain fixed hours for reverential worship,hours in which the public conscience is voiced and the divine will speak to men’s souls,” states Baeck.

In this spirit I spend my Sabbath rejoicing in all the goodness that has happened to me and letting go of all the regrets. I live in the now of this sacred day.