FISH THAT TALK AND WATER WAVES THAT SING

Bloated in the stomach a day after a Jewish Fast Day, like a bloated fish thrown up out of the waters upon the sandy shore, just rolling into the sand kicked by wave after wave, taking all the kicks as the water washes off the dirty sand, a fish out of water, coming back to life as his gills take in the O2 and he finds his habitat under the water again.

Seashells breaking under the weight of my feet as I stroll on the shoreline, crunching and cracking, being aware of every seashell, avoiding them so they stay as whole pieces, not cracked not destroyed.

Kicking and spinning rocks, polished and smooth, rocks with the wisdom of billions of years, as they age gracefully baking under a hot sun and dipping into cool waters.

Seeing a horizon out far away where the waters meet with the sky, seeing it obscured in a fog or on a dark night, knowing that the world does not end there, that it circles around as a ball, a horizon is deceptive not ending the world. A horizon that lifts up floating boats, that is a straight line from point A to point B, a place to wonder what comes next, to imagine there is more than what just meets the eye.

A seaside meditation made with the eyes closed, swaying to and fro in a canoe, waters seeping in but not drenching, not drowning, waters all held back by a controlled tide, waters to whet and moisten, waters that tell a story with every giggle of every wave.

Learning and teaching from nature, natural occurrences: fish that talk, water waves that sing.

In complete awe of it all, never needing more than the Old Man Of The Sea, sweetly singing my beloved Song of The Sea.

THE SONG OF THE SEA SUNG FROM THE WATER'S WAVES

Going today on a trip to the beach and seeing water waves change into formations of human forms as they each hit the beach with liveliness, with a living and breathing personage inside each water wave.

Seeing a head form out of the frothy foam of a water wave, opening its mouth and shouting to me as I walk on the sandy shore with my bare feet merging with the wave's frothy foam.

One by one, water wave by water wave, people come spilling onto the sand from the waves of this lake, each human person rolling out of the water wave and singing a song!

Singing the same song, all the persons knowing all the same words and singing them in unison, being able to agree on the same tonalities, same beat, and same lyrics.

This song becomes The Song of the Sea. And each water wave, one by one, has this beautiful sweet song on its lips, and the white foaminess atop each wave carries a fluency, a sound that everyone hears and everyone follows along in its beat.

As we tap our toes in the sand, the water cleans our feet and causes music where there was none, music for all to dance to, where there was deafening silence comes forth cymbal-clanging, hand clapping musical concerts.

Waves like people, singing a voice of a new generation, a generation with an ancestry as old as a polished rock in the water, maybe dating back billions of years, but united in this same song, a billion year old song, is the song we are all singing today.

The Torah is a song like this, an old song we never tire of. A song that in its agedness has the wisdom to guide us in all things we do now, today, and eternally.

From my pursed lips, The Torah sweetly sings its own song.

DANCING ON THE BEACH WITH MIRIAM TO TIMBRELS THE WHOLE NIGHT LONG

Long walks in the frigid air passing through my ears as G-d's whispers, penetrating through winter scarves curled around my neck and head like a prayer shawl, an athlete's towel over his head as he is lifting weights, concentrating on muscle building but in privacy. Winds picking up and blowing the scarf, iciness on my neck, coolness, mistiness from the cold waters circulating around my head.

Walking further and further and getting a charge like a bull charging forward as my legs lift me over mounds of beach sand, moist and packed down, fitting into the curvature of my feet, digging down deep with my heels poking into the sands firmly with each step.

Further burying rocks and seashells into the sands, cracking them under my weight, listening to snap crackle and pop as I dance away from the waves so they do not wet me.

Holding a cape from a bull fight to each wave, and each wave comes in but misses me, keeping dry with water everywhere, all around me, vapors of hydration into my lungs as I take deep breaths, and blowing it out rhythmically as I step to my own music again and again.

Chanukah in my memory, still in my steps, still dancing with Miriam to timbrels the whole night long.

THE MIGHTY POWERFUL SEAS BENEATH MY BARE FEET

The sea was peaceful last night. I walked and walked along a long stretch of the beach avoiding the algae that is piling up on the shore, skipping over dead fish that are strewn out of the water as obstacles in my way, unburied. Kicking rocks, walking further and further than my usual strolls have been, seeing new sights, feeling the wonderment of a more vaster world. Opening doors to different perceptions, creating a larger space, still in safety.

Like a new babe that has relearned to walk, to take greater plunges to strengthen the calf muscles. Avoiding splashes from stray wilder water waves, walking in a specific direction. Looking always to the east no matter which direction I walk in. The east: where the sun rises and creates new ideas, a new day. An easterly direction, bowing and praying, but walking everywhere, seeing new things, being daring, brave, courageous, but always being back in time for dinner.

The seas I hope will always be there, not drying up, there will be a day again when it will rain, but I will be under a protective umbrella, and getting wet when I want to, it is my choice on how wet I want to be, whether drenched or just misted.

Water, water we have you now harnessed with dams, you are powerful but are still within our control.

Our defense system is working deflecting rockets, Israel, we will stand with you, forever.

BETRAYED AT THE BEACH

The water waves were rockier than usual last night, briskly walking but not on water, giving me a reason to hate him, betrayed by a landsman, splashed in the face, foaming at the mouth, frothiness with each successive water wave, like armies, schools of sharks all came to fight for me.

Angels in the night, dressed in all white, they believed my story, knew my hardships, were inside the belly of a whale with me and Jonah, thrown ashore to stay alive despite all odds that were against me.

Wondering why the mad pirate cannot trust me, how badly he was hurt, how he wants to hurt us back, how the water waves are dissolving his hatred and mistrust, how his beard is freezing in the night, how he is absorbed in his own folly, how he aches, how he did not get his way, how he is helpless in his fight against good, how good prevails, like a tidal wave to give water to the thirsty, to drown out his falsehoods, to send me afloat atop like a surfer, enjoying the beaches day after day, in darkness and in light, in summer and in winter.

Water for my safety, water for my upward climb, water to drown out he who tries to drown me.

HARBORING A GREAT OCEAN WITH CHANUKAH CANDLES

First glorious night and first day of Chanukah. Standing out on the sandy wet shores of The Great Lake Michigan with the first candle lighted and held high in hand and held above my head like a lantern, a light of brightness to shine in the darkness of the black seas, waving the flame back and forth in the night, a torch, as if guiding ships to a safe landing.

It was just me and G-d, just the two of us last night, and today it was the more the merrier. As a minyan at a worship service to worship the Almighty G-d, we lighted the one candle again in the daytime, we and the Rabbi chanted the Chanukah blessing and the Shehekianu, as the light spitted from small birthday-sized candles and our births as Jews were celebrated as Chanukah is a joyous occasion: births, weddings, singing and dancing!

Sugar cookies passed around decorated with sweet crystals of blue, red, and yellow to bite and enjoy with a sip of kosher grape juice. Schmoozing about our roots, it is a mitzvah to talk to a Rabbi. His long but neatly-trimmed white beard was not the beard of a Santa Claus, yet he came to us bearing great gifts: a dreidel, a box of cookies, chocolate gelt, and a smile with white teeth so wide it could have harbored a complete army of navy ships. But he was just one man. But his smile lighted up my inner spark of holy light, as did his candles, and my heart became warm and gracious, as I thanked G-d for all my clothes and all my kosher foods, devouring kosher corned beef, cabbage and small white potatoes after the Rabbi left. As always, I chanted the Blessings Before And After Eating, even more thankful because the Rabbi came to see us.

The second candle will be lighted again tonight, not to guide in the ships at the harbor, but to warm the hearts of all who will see it upon a sandy shore, the billions of fish in the ocean, and just me and G-d, the two of us, becoming one. Becoming Echad. Then the one becoming ten, a mighty minyan at a Jewish worship service, a battalion of warriors like the Maccabees against the Assyrian Greeks, a small army of Jews, who fought evil to keep the peace, and peace it was and shall be, as we see the candles flicker chasing away the gloominess of darkness. Shalom is peace, Chanukah is peace. It is all about peace. Light is peace.

A WINTRY AFTERNOON WITH SEA WATER

Hearing the song of angels in water waves, as they continually caress the sandy shore with their frothy fingertips, white foam like angels' wings, saturating, cooling, bringing peace to all who hear it, a constant rhythm, like the brushing sound of one's palm on the tight skin of a drumhead.

Walking along a familiar shoreline, wear I walk everyday, finding new seashells, new smoothly polished rocks, holding them in my hands and rubbing them to feel the awesomeness of their billion year old age. Putting them in my pockets to take them out to rub them again, good omens, rocks as old friends.

Children's playgrounds at the beaches, swing sets, playground equipment of ladders and slides, chairs for the parents to sit and watch their kids.

Dried autumn leaves have fallen off trees, each fall being an act of G-d who has jostled the tree branch with a breeze. Fallen leaves soft on the ground as a carpet where children can step in cushion.

Every time a leaf falls, G-d has caused it. Each leaf on the ground is there because G-d has put it there. G-d is everywhere, as the fallen leaves are everywhere in a signature reminding us of our Covenant with Him.

To always treat your loved ones kindly, to love your neighbor as His hand in our breeze has loved every leaf on the trees, gently, softly, kindly guiding them to the ground as paths that lead us to spiritual growth.

Crunching these leaves underfoot, kicking up dried golden sand, humming Hebrew chanting on our tongues to the sound of the instrumentals of the moving lake water.

Always in music, always in song, and dancing.

WATERS THAT PURIFY BODY, HEART, SPIRIT AND SOUL

Feeling the wet water waves one by one crawling over my bare feet and body, cleansing me of trials and tribulations, a lifetime of experiences that stained my heart and soiled my soul, each wave being an apology from those who are at fault, a second chance at cleanliness, at purity, music from the streaming of the wind through the leaves in autumn trees, not screaming or gossiping, not words of impurities, a clean wind and a clean water--all over, sprayed on me, misted on me, splashed on me.

A mikvah is in the air, a body of water with more than 10% natural rain water: water filling tohu, water causing bohu. Waters from the Heavens above, saturating the fired coals on the Earth below, putting out smoke, chasing away ghosts, drowning out all evil; a change has been made, no one gets hurt, the water caresses everyone with G-d's mighty hands and brings comfort to the wounded, solace to the bereaved.

Death and uncertainty follows us like a cloud, a dark ominous thunderstorm cloud, with dense fogginess everywhere to block our vision so we cannot see the goodness, the shadows are too dark. A future that cannot be predicted, a future alone, a future that doubts a G-d, a future that one creates for oneself, a future of wretchedness, a future of a scoffer.

An understanding that one's life becomes holy when the doubting and distrusting ceases, when G-d takes over your life, when you no longer have to prove it, to predict it, to convince or persuade others. A life of complete ease, like a carousel merry-go-round spinning to music, circling to G-d's desires, to affirm the peaceful place in your heart and keep it beating to the sounds of songs, to the sounds of His loving and caring for you and the loved ones in your life. 

THE STRENGTH AND AWESOMENESS OF GOD'S SEAS

Stretching your wings every morning, as a bird does, becoming awake with the projection of the sun streaming through my window, when light touches the body and enters into the eyes, it is the first sign of G-d coming into my life as Ein Sof, Divine light, entering into the retina and bringing instant joy into my life first thing in the morning. Another day alive! Thanks to You G-d. Modah Ani.

Outside my window rushes sea water, greens and blues, chilling in the autumn temperatures, becoming rocky bursting waves in a cold wind, higher the waves come in one after the other, as we realize them all as One. Echad is the result of many separate waves, one after the other, forming one large lake. More than trillions of molecules of H2O as one unit, one body, the joining in a complete total of the skies and the seas: rain, fog, and lake water, a place to go to feel the strength of G-d, to know His awesomeness. To always feel His freedom.

An empty beach, just me strolling back and forth in the sand, coming across seashells and throwing them back into the sea. Skipping stones, and skipping my steps, kicking up billion year old grains of sand, and remembering back that far, to the beginning, to my childhood, to even before them, to the time of Adam and Eve, back to when there were dinosaurs on that beach, and reptiles in the water.

Remembering back to my mother's arms that held me when I was a child, now we are holding her up as she walks with a cane, but is as proud as pudding: a wise elder, wise in years, a rock that has been fossilized, here for eternity.

Throwing oneself back into the sea to dissolve in the water and have eternal life in Paradise. Living forever.

SHABBAT ON THE SEASHORE

Windy day on the seashore, pull the flaps of your hats over your ears, waves coming in full blast, as if they want to say something to us, to expect something out of the ordinary--they are saying "Shabbat is coming tonight! Shabbat Shalom to you!"

The waves of the sea look bluer than usual, higher they grow, further along the shoreline do they pour, jostling more sand around than usual, an omen, a restful Shabbat is in the coming, we can all rejoice! Splash in our mikvah, swim in the waters, the pure natural waters, coat the body with purity.

Awaiting, approaching, a sunset is coming near us, it is soon to be, in the near future, it is predictable, always happens, it is faithful, we can count on it, a sunset on Shabbat will bring us holiness where there is none, it will bring us what we need. Shabbat is on its way!

Sing loudly! Chant deeper, speak more Hebrew, cast our eyes upon the blue skies, and cherish what we have, cherish that we soon will have more than what we have, we will have Shabbat! It is in the plan, in the works, every week, without fail.

We will all win a restful day, a delightful holy day dedicated to resting, to celebrating, a day when we can be with G-d in His fullest! 

CHEERING AT THE THEATER OF THE OMINOUS LAKE MICHIGAN WATERS

All of the sea was a stage, a theatre that produced a play for me upon my entrance onto the sandy shoreline, as an audience I saw it all, a movie, a theatrical production as a play, and the seagulls were sitting with me, watching the gladiators, watching a bullfight out in the middle of the lake, jeering it all on, then with one mighty sweep of His powerful mighty arm, G-d swept away all the excitement and there was only peace, all around there was holy peace!

The peace penetrated. The waves came in one by one, each wave singularly alone, followed by its friend, causing a whole unified body of large lake water, no more bullfights, the shininess of the jewel-like treasures underneath the waves were covered with dull sand, the stimulation stopped, the theatre curtains were then drawn closed, and my trip to the beach ended.

A lone gull cawed from the heavens to give one last blast--an end to the play, one long drawn out scream and then the play was over.

I went home with a memory.

HAPPENING UPON AN OLD SEA SERPENT THIS MORNING

Happening upon an angry old sea serpent this morning, but watching G-d destroy it and all its hatred as it is drowned and depleted of its power to strike out and hurt.

To be by a seashore, a blessing indeed, to have the wet natural water waves wash me clean, washing away the hatred of the snake's venom that still drips from my body after an attack, the serpent's fangs still hanging off my skin, but watching it drown and wash away, slithering into hiding, into deep waters, as he breathes in water that drowns out his lungs and eventually coils him up into a hopeless restricted knot.

Seeing the wicked sea serpent banging its body against heavy sharp rocks on the sea's shoreline, bang bang, bang, as each wave thrusts the serpent against another rock's hardness, severing it and beating it.

The Lament of Zion is no more, as I see the sea serpent's dead body float away down the river, scale by scale, its body falling apart and disintegrating into heavy sea water white rapids; dissolved, in existence no more.

Freedom from its hatred and violence.

 

THE SONG OF THE SEA

The greatness of waters, the incredibleness of a hot candle flame dowsed by waters, the holiness of a breaker of water as it hits a sandy beach. Water, water, I call to you, to ease my thirstiness, to flow lovingly onto sore muscles, to repeat yourself in music wave after glorious wave, smashing with force onto a beach, or simply moving in with a tide, secretly, slowly, mystically, becoming one with all things, as you drown out evil, you clean it, you are its purity, it's washed in your liquidness, it is dissolved in your wetness.

Water, your sounds beckon me, calling me to your shores. I hear your waves shaking like a maraca, doing a Spanish dance to your waves as I step over them one by one, never drowning, your peacefulness has overcome me with glee, as each molecule of water eases my thirst, drenches parched lips, sweetly gargling to your swishing back and forth on the shoreline.

It is you who I seek, it is you who will purify me. Hyssop and sweet beach water, how I adore you, as everything, you take away all the sins of the world, in your mikvah I am purified, in it I have danced, in it I have splashed, in it I have sung.

Sweetness in waters, are you always.

WATER, WIND AND WISHING FOR WONDERS

Trembling, seeking solace, wishing for honesty everywhere, fearing oppression, body shaking, but then as gift from The Almighty G-d, the water waves come rolling in and wash away all disappointments, all hatred, all aggression, all the scorpions and snakes scurry away, and G-d takes an upper hand and destroys the wicked with the self-destruction of nagging, heart-breaking guilt--as guilt eats away at one's heart, and causes the wicked to drown in his own plans and schemes that were meant to hurt others.

The sandcastles on the beach come alive and jump upward as they become rich mansions in the sand, homes for the homeless carved with ornate designs into their walls. Sandcastles that become glorious sights of a child's happiness, a sign of a child's world of play and laughter, as the wind blows them away slowly, eventually, as the tide comes in and lake water wave rolls over them, dissolving them into the shore, sandcastles no more.

Honesty spilling over every molecule of sand as a family enjoys moments together, entire large families under sun umbrellas, rubbing suntan oil on each other's shoulders, protecting each other from the burning rays of the sun, from dishonesty and deceitfulness as it creeps up on you like a sunburn when you think all is okay.

Splashing in the waters to wash away all discomfort, to purify the mind, body, heart and soul. To have a renewed outlook on life, to chase away all evils, to feel reborn, to feel wanted and loved.

 

SCORPIONS AND SNAKES

Even though the lake water waves look beautiful and sound musical and create an atmosphere of relaxation and peace--there is no such thing as nourishing waters--all waters contain scorpions and snakes.

Enemies abound everywhere, the wicked thrive, the wrong do-ers and oppressors progress and get richer. The righteous live without reward in this life--instead our reward is in The-World-To-Come.

The wicked and evil snakes and scorpions who multiply and dominate the waters find you when you are down and add to your unfortunate plight, continuing to try to make your life miserable.

How to live with these never-nourishing waters? How to become nourished when no waters are nourishing? Answer: Nurture yourself in the constant study of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings.

A JOURNEY TO ONENESS

Seeing oneness everywhere, being alone in a one time echad existence, being me and everyone else is separate from me, I am me all around. It is me with a sunrise, seeing only one sun, rising quickly in one sky, of one color--being a blue sky, one sky overhead and seeing a mass of only one cloud in the one sky--a place, one place, for one G-d. One heaven, and one throne for one G-d. Praising one G-d as a member of one family of many generations, but all of us makes up one.

Writing everyday with one keyboard that includes many letters of one alphabet, making up one language, so that everyone who knows this one language can understand the oneness of my many words. Many different web sites in cyberspace making up the whole, but only one cyberspace, only one Internet that everyone uses--a oneness as a culmination of many.

Blowing one candle with one breath, one breath affects the oneness of the flame and bends it in reaction to the one breath as a wind--oneness in its reaction to the breeze. Seeing oneness in my vision, focusing on one sight at a time, cannot see behind me at the same time as seeing in front of me. Having a sight of oneness, contemplating one thought at a time, thinking about one thing at a time, coming to one conclusion at a time, one and then one and then one, making up a whole of many but with a singular functioning to get to the conglomerate. Pressing one key at a time on my computer keyboard. Tasting one food at a time, or many, but having a singular taste in one's mouth no matter how many foods I have eaten at once.

It is just me, me alone, and it is me with one G-d, in one universe, me as a singular person, one of the many. I am me, me alone, with one G-d, not multiple gods. No idols, not even one. Worshipping the singularity as being one great G-d, one Almighty, who will be my one companion, dedication of myself as one person to one G-d. Not in confusion with many, but zeroing in on one. The blessedness of Oneness, as a perfect union: Me and G-d.

WINTER WISPS WHISPERING WITHIN THE WATER

Water curling into waves on a deserted beach area, winter wisps whispering within the water: autumn is calling, beaches are empty of people, water temperatures cooling. Will be freezing next month, will be covered with cracked ice blocks, running trail paths will be salted, and only memories of  warm beach sunshine will be had.

Birds flying south for the winter, turtles retreating into the warmth of their shells. Ice tipped dune grass will crunch under footsteps, and bitter cold wind will sail through thinly lined winter jackets. To be like an Eskimo wrapped in furs, pelts of warm hair, chewing whale blubber as bubble gum, hands covered in thick gloves, briskly walking a few blocks and freezing to the bone.

Autumn: a warning sign that we must prepare for the inevitable stealthily approaching winter months. Yellow leaves from trees falling: danger signs, not to welcome the cold icy blasts soon to come. Shofar of the new year has sounded a scream of help for our prayers of safety and security to be answered. 

LURED BY THE CALLING OF THE SEA

I am pondering whether to go to the beach or not today. I am pondering and pondering and as I ponder, my G-d beckons me with lures to visit His greatness at the water's edge, an invitation to see His beauty in the water's reflection like mirrors of each glassy water wave as it foams at the mouth and asks me to come back again and again to its shoreline where I can constantly view G-d's power, greatness, almightiness, and compassion.

His empathetic understanding awaits me, as I walk in dedication to His seashore, taking each step carefully in regularity, putting one firm step after the other; knowing that when I get there I am in store for a full show of incredible life-filled fireworks, as each flame of wrath that was kindled by an offender becomes doused by a splash of cooling, easy, but forceful water gush--drowning all evils--thrown about my feet on the sandy shore by G-d's mighty arms and hands.

Yes, each day I will take a trip to the beach as G-d beckons me, to see in person, how incredibly great G-d is, how wonderful righteousness can be, how surely He can protect me from all ills. As each wave watering onto the sand is like a massage over my body, a wave caressing with ease and comfort. I can see Him in this water, see Him as my Protector, my Sovereign, mine--G-d is all mine.

THE WATER'S HORIZON AS A NUMBER LINE

Sitting on a seashore, seeing the swelling sea, feeling the wetness of the spray of the misty wet waters as they blow up from a wave onto your face, moistening your lips, cooling you off. Listening for the sounds of the sea, for a fish gurgle and some seaweed moving, hearing the rushing of the movement of the waters, repetitively, gargling, stirring, like music played by G-d Himself: to soothe, to keep you in rhythm with all things, to sit and tap your feet to it, to move your body with the movement of the sea, to feel its blue and greenness, to absorb it, to become one with it.

To sit and sit next to the waters, to be sedentary like the rocks at the side of the sea at the shoreline, to sway as the waves come tumbling in, to watch the boats out yonder, as images of stillness as they sail far out to the horizon. To see the horizon remaining still, not moving, not changing, stiffly, securely, stubbornly, stiff-necked, always there, whether you are there observing it or not. A constant, a predictable line, a connection of one place to another, from all sides, from the east to the west, the north to the south. A direct linear progression of sureness, of stability in a line, a numerical counting from a small number to a large number, and beyond, never stopping, never ceasing, from right to left. Eternal.

THE SURPRISE OF A STRANGE MYSTICAL LAKE WATER WAVE

 

Last night I sat on the water-soaked wooden boards of a dock at the East Rogers Park public beach and took in every stimulation G-d provided for me there. I was not expecting a surprise but as it turned out, I got one.

The waves were coming in one by one, all the same as each other, one rolling wave splashing against the sandy shore as the last one had splashed. I felt a regularization in the systematic flow of each wave, predictably one after another, all sounding about the same, all with basically the same amount of frothy foam as the last wave had. It was like being rocked in a bed cradle as a child by my Mother, each rocking motion of the cradle being like each wave coming in, predictable, the same, building up a trusting balanced emotion, thinking that this is the way it will always be: no upheavals, no changes, no shocks.

But then, as I had just gotten used to the similarity of these forthcoming waves, one by one, I almost fell off the dock being startled as I awoke from the peace of my daydream, because one wave was not at all like the others! I was sitting there meditating and suddenly a larger, faster, more vicious water wave suddenly came pouring in! It surrounded my feet like an army as my feet were hanging off the dock; so I quickly jerked them upwards so my shoes would not get wet! This strange wave came very far up to the sandy shore, further than any wave preceding it, and as I found out, also further than any wave proceeding it. It was a miracle like no other miracle I had experienced at the water's edge, because it was a natural G-d given miracle, an unexplainable freak of nature. I now knew how destructive tidal waves felt to an innocent bystander who was not expecting it.

I was so surprised, that I did not stop to try to figure it out. I jumped up from my sedentary spot on the dock and hurried home. Wondering if and when another freak of nature would come my way, but knowing that this one was special, and its miracle to be remembered and cherished.

SEASHELLS AS DISCOVERED TREASURE ON THE BEACH

Finding a treasure chest of nature's jewels strewn in the sand on the beach. Seashells of the tiniest size like glass beads from a necklace created by animals of shellfish that make the shell its home. Fumbling the seashells delicately in the palm of my hands, between each fingertip, feeling its sensitivity, its capacity to be crushed under a weight, as it relies on my mercy to throw it back into the sea unharmed, intact. Sand grains to be brushed off as they stick like with static magnetic force onto my feet after squeezing the sand between my toes after a stroll amongst the waves of the lake.

Listening for sounds of the sea as each wave comes in unison repetitiveness rolling one after the other onto the small smooth rocks that were carved by the water's creativeness, each rock different from the other--no rock identical to another, like humans they all keep a separate identity although are found together in masses and make up a hard ground that requires sandals to walk securely upon it so not to bruise the sensitive skin of a bare foot.

Knowing that another visit to the seashore will provide me with another experience to hear the music of the forthcoming foamy waves, and another moment to feel a seashell's tenderness, and another time to throw a rock into the water to watch it splash and drown never to uncover it again amidst the other rocks as it blends into the multitude like camouflage.

REAPING THE REWARDS OF DIVINE SUNLIGHT

Wanting the warmth of pure sunshine on my skin, feeling the liveliness of the flesh as it tickles the pores of my skin, as the sun pours its comforting baking feeling on my body, through my clothes, onto bare skin.

Rubbing in tanning oil, or olive oil, all over the arms and legs, and torso and face, gently massaging it all deeply into my body. Moistening the skin, moisturizing it, watching it glisten, as it reflects the light coming directly from a sunray with no shade in sight.

Browning the skin, causing it to tan, enriching the color and turning it into a deep golden hue, like frying chicken legs, spitting and spattering on a pan as the oil flies all over, getting the color to change shades, and to look beautiful, not a pale whitish that represents ill health.

A shine to one's face, rosy cheeks that caught a few rays of sunshine, pinching them to get even pinker, a pinkish-red of a healthy color, like after one climbs a mountain and glows from head to toe with the reward of the success of a job well done.

Ein Sof, a Name for God, is all about Divine Light. The light one receives at the beach is this Divine Light and this is why it feels warm and comforting on the skin. All types of light: direct sunlight (i.e. sunlight) and reflective light (i.e. moonlight) are all Divine Light, all examples of how Ein Sof reaches out to us and warms us, lights our paths even in the darkness. It is this same light that is necessary for seeds to grow into plants. When one learns, as such from a parent or teacher, it is said he gets the "light" of knowledge and truth. Parents teaching children gives them a warm taste of this light, of Divine Light. Of Ein Sof. Ein Sof, or Divine Light is a gift from God, from HASHEM, to feel better, to feel His holiness and have His holiness transfer onto us as we become holier because we know and feel Ein Sof on our skins, and deep into our spiritual bodies and souls. 

LOOKING SEAWARD AND UPWARD FULFILLS A DREAM

Beach flies biting my arms, like bees they do sting.
Belting out a cry but then began to sing!
Singing a song of being satisfied with one's lot,
Always greener on the other side of the fence, it is not.

Laying prone down on some sand and rocks, gazing up,
Seeing green waters ahead, like fountains that fill my thirsty cup.
Drinking from a water bottle, like it was a warm milk-filled baby bottle,
No milk, just water to keep my throat liquefied and in gear as a throttle.

Children next to me swinging on swings, mothers pushing them taking their turn,
Laughing and singing, swings whistling in the wind as the sun does burn.
Cellphones ringing, on call,
Time to take a break from it all.

After getting well needed rest and baking in the sun,
I got up and sauntered over to the sea, so peaceful; waves there were none.
Sunning myself and absorbing the vitamin D was healthy and fun,
Will do it again tomorrow and with God we will be One.

DUNK ME: ANOINT ME

Dunk me in the water,
Spill it over my head.
Cleanse my hands, one by one,
Pour water three times over each hand,
To soothe the red.

Take water and cleanse my feet,

Anoint me.
Tickle my toes with perfumed lotions,
Massage my heels and soften the calluses,
So I can pretend I am a princess who lives in palaces.

Flow water through my teeth,

Whiten them with abrasive brushing.
Then pour spicy mouthwash passed my dry lips,
And I will gargle and come to grips.

Wrap me in clean dry clothing,

My sackcloth I have removed.
Warm the cloth on top of a radiator,
So I can win the battle of a gladiator.
Cover my war-torn skin,
So I can sit respectfully next to my kin.

Take me to a Shul,
Help me to be comfy and on a hot day to be cool.

Sit, bow and then stand with me during the Amidah,
And later I will join you for the Havdalah.

Let us listen to the Torah Study,

Answer my 4 questions and be my buddy.
We will go home with increased peace after praying,
And teach the people what God is saying.

AN ANGRY AFTERNOON OCEANIC EXPERIENCE

 

Just got back from a very exciting walk on the beach, the waves were extremely rough and heightened today, higher than usual. Threatening and treacherous, the torrents of water came forth like escaped prisoners, crashing, smashing, surging and pumping onto a vibrating heavy sandy shoreline. For a moment I stood there unbelieving, but became convinced because my legs bent under the force as they were buffeted by the angriest waves!

Who did what to provoke God into such fierce wrath?! The waves lashed out and the sea swelled and heaved in a great cursed crushing power that scared even me! What a passionate scene it was, like no other trip to the beach I have had yet.

There were a few ponds and puddles briny deep in the sand as the water mass spread breaking its usual boundaries. Glassy ferocious sheets of water, as tall as walls, swelled up and splashed into multitudinous breakers all over the beach, each wave sinking deeper than the other into the sand onto a great large expanse of the shoreline, moving for miles--even forming quicksand pools. Watch where you step!

An abundance of food like holy manna--an end to hunger--came as a heavenly calling to the seagulls who were hunting for fish as they were tossed upwards out of the violent water. Bounding downwards the gulls scanned the sea with penetratingly sharp vision, easily finding their suppers. The swelling waters were living waters and provided them well. They flew from everywhere toward the shore and not one went home empty and hungry. Full tummies tonight and hopefully a calmer day tomorrow to digest it all.

MY SHELLFISH FRIEND FOUND HIS WAY BACK HOME

 

At the lake, I lucked to come across a crustacean animal crawling out from a large circular golden-green seashell that had rows of beads growing down its sides, daring like a turtle, to peek out its head to feel the warmth of the sun and sand. Shellfish, not to be eaten (not kosher), this creature can live out a full life without being my supper. He can become my friend.

Once it left its shell, the shell became my earphone, as I put the opening close to my ear and heard a great powerful sound--the rushing wind blowing out the sound of the sea; it was magnificently within my hearing range to remind me how vast and great the waters are--and how calm, like a musical instrument that whispers in a soothing voice similar to the sea softly humming quietly, peacefully.

With my other ear to my radio, I heard the songs of a Cantor Jewish Musician/Singer belting out in chant a holy song with his holy spirited voice on a Friday to prep me for Shabbat, the day of rest that comes on Saturday. His lungs were full and exploding with strength to call Hebrew words to me, as I settled in to listen to his sweet music. He brings me great joyous rejoicing and appreciation for the Jewish Sabbath ahead, which I look forward to all week long. Each weekday is numbered as one less day before Saturday, Monday: means 6 days left till Shabbat, Tuesday: 5, and finally in its greatness we get Saturday as it comes as the last day of the week--the day God rested after creating the world. Friday, today is my spa day, the day before Saturday, a day when I prepare for Shabbat.

I sat down the round golden-green shell again, as the animal wanted his home back to retreat into to escape the outside world, a place of peace for him to rest too, as God rested, and as we rest on Saturdays. He then found his way back into his hole, the entrance to his home--he hurriedly crawled back in. Good bye to you my little friend!

And I then gently tossed him and his shell back into the sea, back into a pool of safety for the little guy. Somewhere, out there is my little friend, swimming, crawling, and hopefully not venturing out too far from home.

SCULPTING SANDCASTLES AT SUNSET

 

Spending a quiet, unassuming, relaxing evening writing poetry at the beach; it is just before sunset and after a summer rainstorm. Looking out from the shore like a sailor onto the lake water, watching buoys bouncing to and fro as they wait patiently for a rope to be attached to dock a boat. Yachts speeding by causing waves to zoom forth, splitting the seas.

A flock of resting seagulls all standing still, not moving, undaunted, like stubborn goats they remain firm in their stance, all alertly listening as one lone gull calls to the others loudly and sweetly. She is the leader.

Lifeguard stands are empty, no swimming right now allowed after sunset on a public city beach.

Hearing waves rushing, melodically as a softly sung song, as they brush up against a rain-saturated sandy shore, one by one, humming and swishing the sand into pools of swirling sculptural shapes.

A sunset behind me slowly sinking into the horizon to the west reflects in the soft clouds to the east. A beautiful yellow-pinkish color saturates the lower sky beneath a few lonely clouds that are poised far apart causing the sea to be a very bright deep cobalt blue in contrast to the lighter, redder colors of the sky above it.

An active girl child is running and jumping over the water's waves, barefoot, building a sandcastle just to tear it down again and then build another. Her mother is meditating as her child plays in the waves. Listening intently to the sounds of an empty beach, empty now except for the birds, and how nicely quiet they are, satisfied by their hard day's work--a day of fishing. These seagull birds are meditating too.

Kayaks are coming now from the south, decorating the sea with a bit of human life as they paddle in succession like an army. Quietude is all around except for the lifting of their paddles from the water, will be quiet until morning again when the beach will again be crowded with swimmers.

Then comes the climax: a loud frantic helicopter noisily and amazingly appears from behind a cloud, cutting with its metal into the sky over where I sit, beating his propellers and scaring all the gulls away! They all take flight like a frightened herd of elephants and move away into the dune grass seeking solace.

Now the helicopter is gone too leaving me alone on the beach without the birds, without commotion, time for me to take my leave too, to get sleep, as the red sun has now completely disappeared.

A KINGDOM OF BIRDS, FISH, AND INSECTS AT THE BEACH

Seagulls and sparrows, pigeons and hawks, airplanes and hand gliders fill the skies at the Lake Michigan public beaches. Look up into the clouds when you are not looking out upon vast expanses of living waters, and see a sky filled with life and activity!

Birds bombing the waters, flying predators taking dives from very high in the sky after circling their prey, the unsuspecting fish hanging out below, swoosh! the seagull makes a beeline dive and scoops up a mouthful of Koi fish in its beak after making about twenty circles over its head, and then finally zoning in to get its dinner and  flying off to its nest to eat it and feed it also to its young.

Happy seagulls and thriving sparrows! Sparrows all chitter-chattering and squeaking out bird calls, gathering up seeds that fall from the dune grass into their hungry open mouths. So many seeds! Cracking them then digesting the meats, tearing apart the chaff and then throwing the shell away. The dune grass produces more and more seeds. The sparrows never grow hungry, there is always an abundance to eat at the beach. The birds then fly easterly, towards the water, always natural waters for them to drink, and they never growing thirsty.

There are Mallard ducks swimming along the shores in twos--husbands and wives--bonded as mates for their entire lives. Red and green feathery rings around their long necks, like wedding bands, they are swimming together in matrimony.

Birds of every type: flocks of geese too, herons, and hawks, are flying toward the lake, knowing where to find food and water, building nests of shelters in trees along the way near a world of fun at the lakeside beach.

Dragonflies flitting on by, buzzing and jerking, back and forth, they are companions to the yellow jacket honeybees who sip Cola syrup off the tops of picnic benches. The dragonflies and bees are looking dangerous, just don't swat them, stay clear! Let them be to go about their business and you about yours, so you do not get into each others' way. Billions of insects at the beach! And bloodthirsty beach flies; cover your bare legs!

So much life at the beach: a world of birds, insects and fish, among billion year old rocks that have not yet become sand. Rocks of tan, white, gray, red, and yellow hues--different shapes and sizes--perfect to gather up for your backyard home gardens. Rocks to walk on, but no, not barefoot! Wear your thongs! Step on only sand barefoot, squishing warm golden sand between your toes instead. The sand massages my tired feet, as it jostles underneath my heel forming the perfect impression of my foot in the sand, kicking up sand as I hike on by.

Yes, activity at the beach can be fun and relaxing too. Enjoy a brisk entrance into the water, feel it chill your skin and then dunk in one body part at a time, jumping up and down in the water in vain to keep warm! Feel the spectacular sensations of the watery waves one by one caressing your body, as you struggle to keep your head above water to breathe! Catch a Frisbee and throw it back!

A day at the beach, long to be remembered as having the time of my life! Next summer I will plan do it again!

KITES FLYING LIKE BIRDS ON THE BEACH

Stepping out my front door onto the golden dry windy sandy beaches of Lake Michigan, surprised to see colorful floating kites everywhere in the sky! An Air and Water Show! Like angels made out of thin paper, in wonderful creative designs they fly!

Pulling back on the cord, the kites will fly higher and higher! Wind whistling through them like sails, speedily flapping long tails tied with bows, heaving back and forth, they lift up and catch a drift and then dive down, searing and scraping the cloudy blueness, like paper airplanes.

Blue ones, red ones, yellow ones, multi-colored kites. Happy children flying kites, responsible parents teaching them how.

Whoops! A kite string snapped, broke in two! The kite is now free and up with the wind flying further and further away, and now having its independence, a life of its own, to venture out wherever the breeze takes it to go. The kite is free, freedom takes it far away to travel to the ends of the earth!