Jewish Musings, Tuesday 4/2

[lee058]

What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.



Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:

Frieda (hopefully)?

Holly

Lee

Louise

Lynne

Peachy



And for those of you that stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE! Please pray for Israel.

Today's topic: April poetry

When I think of April poetry, I think of two lines. #1: "April showers bring May flowers" and #2: "April is the cruelest month." (TS Eliot) Which do you think is more appropriate?

For me, I think of the first one. Admittedly, this has been an incredibly warm March, so we have lots of flowers already, but we should hopefully get lots more in April. It's raining today, so that should help the flowers bloom. I love Spring!!

As for #2: Is April the "cruelest" month? The poem, "The Waste Land", seems to me to be all about frustration and unfulfilled hopes. I remember a line about lilacs blooming despite this, so maybe the poet felt some hope. However, in later lines, he says things like they are not permanent, so what's the use of them? (I haven't read the whole poem for a long time; please forgive my memory lapses.) I disagree wholeheartedly; I feel we can appreciate good things, even if they don't last forever.

Looking out my window, I feel hope and joy. I feel full of welcome for Spring!!

Any comments on the above? I'd be interested in your opinions! Have a peaceful day, Lee

[gazelle18]

Hi everyone,
Sorry to have been MIA recently. Lots of family events and obligations, which have kept me quite busy.

Another April -ism, due to the fact that April 15 is “tax day,” is : “ Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” This pessimistic sounding statement, to me, has an opposite corollary, which is, “there is little in life which is permanent.” Indeed, one reason we may love flowers so much is that we instinctively know that their beauty is fleeting. It gives them a bittersweet value.

[peachymom1]

Good morning! It's sunny here today, but we're expecting a big storm later in the week, most likely the last one. It's extremely unusual to have thunderstorms in SoCal in April, but I admit I still like rain.

Here's my favorite April quote: “There is no glory in star or blossom till looked upon by a loving eye; There is no fragrance in April breezes till breathed with joy as they wander by.” – William Cullen Bryant. I think the poet means that nothing really means anything until you experience it, or at least notice it, hopefully with all your attention.

We're getting haircuts today, thank God. I'm long overdue for one!

[louise]

I remember fondly my other and I singing April Showers together.