On November 14th, I posted a blog called Reinventing Me! In my blog, I wrote that for the past year and a half, I have been going through a merry-go-round of emotions, but mostly I have felt sad because of family illnesses and the loss of my dear sister-in-law in August.
I know being sad is not healthy for me....I needed change but how?
I enjoy blogging. I don’t blog often, but when I do, I feel satisfied that I said my two cents. My blog is my journal.
As I mentioned in my blog Reinventing Me!, the first thing I changed was the name of the blog from Miriam’s Words to ‘The Blogging Safta’. The link is still Miriam’s Words.
Next, I took a good look in the mirror. I wanted to see me! Life is full of ups and downs. There are things I’m proud of and situations I should and could have done differently and things today that I absolutely need to change.
I have been blessed...believe me, when I was a young bride of 19, I didn’t think that I would have 3 terrific kids, 2 super sons-in-laws, 13 wonderful sabra grandchildren and a very precious great-granddaughter. Next June, G-d willing, my husband and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Unbelievable!
I had wanted to make aliyah forever. When I was a
teenager, I remember telling my mother a”H, “one day I’m going to live in
Israel.” Because of my kids, my dream
was fulfilled 22 ½ years ago.
Second change I needed was to get out of the house
more often and try new experiences. Other than walking Patches, which I don’t
do very often, [that’s my husband’s job] shopping in Netivot, appointments, and
now my chugim, I’m home.
I believe everything happens for a reason. Before the
Chagim, our Moetza, Sdot Negev, sent out a brochure of chugim they were
offering for children and adults.
Usually, I flip through it and then file the brochure
in the round basket but this time I put the brochure in the magazine rack. My
husband must have asked me 10 times, why am I keeping the brochure. I told him
I don’t know but keep it.
I have wanted to take yoga for some time, but couldn’t
find an only women’s group in Netivot. The moetza was offering a yoga chug for
women.
After speaking to the coordinator of the 60 plus
groups, she convinced me to join two chugim on Sunday morning from 8:15a.m.
until noon. Actually there is a third chug after the mosaic that she wanted me
to join, but I said no because my language skills are not good enough and that
frustrates me.
And so on Sunday mornings at 8:15
you can find me at my yoga chug...after 7 sessions of an hour of stretching, I am
still finding muscles I didn’t know I had.
Fifteen minutes later, my mosaic
chug starts. Here we create pictures using different mediums either by
following a pattern or just our imagination and drawing freehand. Our group is made up of 11 women and 1 man who
is the husband of one of the women.
We are 4 English speakers and we usually sit together
chatting as we work. I must admit that I am enjoying the activity very much.
Outside of our art room, the Moetza
set up a refreshment table for us to enjoy that is constantly being refilled
with crackers, a veggie platter, hummus, cheese, cake, tea and coffee.
Our first project was making a
hanging picture on a piece of plywood. I decided to make a sunflower. Most used
a pattern to trace a picture. I drew free hand.
Using different colours of ceramics
including mirror tile, my sunflower took on a life of its own. Each colour
represented an emotion. I used a strip of mirror in each petal of my sunflower
because it took a good look in the mirror for me to see what I needed to
change.
I named my finished picture Reflections of
life..happiness, sadness and CHANGE!
We are now creating a stained glass abstract picture
on a window pane and working with see through coloured glass tiles. This is
much harder and slower than working on plywood. I have never used glass glue.
You need very little as it is thin and runs.
Knowing that on Sunday morning I’m out of the house
and having a nice time is something I now look forward too. I’m on my way to reinventing
me!
That’s all for now. Feel free to comment
Chag Chanukah Sameach!
Miriam
