Today is the last Friday in June 2019, half of 2019 is behind us, but there is always today, and tomorrow will come!  I used to be a worry-wart trying to accomplish tomorrow’s business today just so I could have a day off; however, if you do that daily, you never take time off.  Without taking the time to recuperate, refresh, and recharge each task often gets more complicated, and internal resentment builds up.  (At least it did for me.)  While I was so busy living for tomorrow, I was not fulfilling my own needs and reaching my potential.

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, while I am not a dog, nor am I old in mind and spirit.  Therefore I have been able to venture down a new fork in the road and experience this thing we call life.  It is precious, and embracing it with all my heart and soul has allowed me to develop into a more empowered happier me.

I challenge you to ask yourself one question, are you happy with yourself?  Do not criticize yourself when you answer honestly.  Take your answer(s) and take a gamble on walking down a new path today.  Instead of going straight turn right or turn left.  Witness the landscape and breath in the newness.  Feel what you see, feel what you hear, and feel from the depths inside.  Experience those feelings that may have gone dormant while living for tomorrow instead of for today.

No judgments.  We are all on a personal journey, and until you embark on yours as I have on mine, you will never become one with your body, spirit, and mind.

Yesterday I met with three very inspiring women and although they may not agree let me tell you why I note them as such.

We are living in a world where everyone seems to know your business, making assumptions about who you are, and how successful or not you may be.  Technology has taught us to listen in sound bites and look at the outer beauty when choosing someone to be a friend, significant other, business associate, etc.  However, as I sat with these three lovely women, no presumptions were made.

My initial contact was a bit uncomfortable as I arrived early, almost one hour before we were to meet.  Now I am an early bird when I have a scheduled meeting or event to attend, but sixty minutes was an error on my part when I filled in my calendar.  In the scheme of things all worked out for the best, I returned to meet with these three inspiring women at the given time.

The conversation was easy, and as I sat amongst them, I felt at home with these three women whom I hope I can call my new friends.  As we shared ideas and conversation, I felt an inner space that has felt empty fill up with joy and anticipation.

If I do nothing more with my life, I hope to engage others to seek out their needs and challenge themselves to fill the missing pieces in their lives.  I want to be a hand to guide and learn from others and wake-up on a morning with more RAIN and still feel happy, seeing the sunshine in the eyes of my new friends and acquaintances.

These three women are inspiring to me as I noted they too are challenging themselves as well, a common bond.

In October 2016, as my mother was nearing the end of her life, I made the decision that I needed to connect to my Jewish roots.  My mother was the anchor for the many holiday traditions that I grew up with and enjoyed for many years.  However, when I married in the early seventies, my husband at the time was a nonpracticing Reformed Jew.  If it weren’t for family trips back to my parent’s Seder Table or celebrating Hanukkah with his family, life would have been empty.

In 1979 as I went through a divorce I chose to get not only a civil court document but I went to the Mikvah and received  “A get or gett (/ɡɛt/; Hebrew: גט‎, plural gittin גיטין) is a divorce document in Jewish religious law, which must be presented by a husband to his wife to effectuate their divorce.”  You’ve heard the song “Tradition” from Fiddler on the Roof, and I chose to follow the culture.

In 1980 I also chose to become a Bat Mitzvah.  I did this for me, creating my identity and identifying with being a Jew, not for the religious aspect but for the commitment to carry on the traditions and family love that I grew up to love.

Although I fell in love with a Gentile man, the second time around, the love and friendship we possess convinced me that an interfaith relationship could withstand the test of time.  It’s funny how your life may change but deep inside my soul the need for keeping the flames burning, never have extinguished themselves.

I have struggled since the early ’80s to find a community of Jewish individuals that openly accepted my family and me.  However, through the guidance of my mother and father from heaven’s above, I refused to give up, and I have found myself at Temple Israel.  A big shout out to Rabbi Josh Brown who read my heartful note asking for connection as he guided me into the hands of Elaine Newman and Teri Segal.  Since that day, I have begun interweaving my family into theirs.  Through Elaine and Teri, I have met so many wonderful people.  Mensch (mentsch)— Literally “man or woman” an honorable, decent, stand-up person, as in, “I don’t care who you marry, as long as he or she is a mensch.”

Tonight I will attend services and pre-services social to recognize new members to the congregation/my family.  I am blessed that I have found yet one more way to live my life to the fullest and share the opportunities that are available for us all to be accepted in peace.  I can hear my mom and pops kvelling, feeling the happiness that I am experiencing.  Although I can no longer return to my mother and father’s home, I can open the doors of my home and enter the doors of Temple Israel to fulfill a need that has needed nourishment.

We all must find that space to light our fire and share it with others to experience the beauty of the sunrise and sunset.

Dedicated to cousins who are making changes for them, paving the way for us!

I have thanked Candace Pollock many times over for allowing me, newclevelandradio.net to produce a bi-weekly podcast called, The Intentionality Gurus; https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-intentionality-gurus-candace-2018-19.  This podcast has helped me begin to identify who I am and what I want to be.  For some, the changes may not be noticeable, and for others, they may be very apparent, but personal coaching has taught me that life is worth living if you are comfortable in your own skin.

Much has changed since I was born in 1950, mostly because of the influences of television, radio, the internet, and social media which at one time was more like tabloid gossip, some true and some not so much.  However, as complicated as the social norms, maybe I believe that we should be able to live as individuals while still being part of the community and global society.  My individual beliefs may be different from yours; however, that does not make either one of us right or wrong.  In fact, it is an advantage to see both sides of every issue and know that there may be more than two opinions.

In December newclevelandradio.net announced that we were going to work towards an Empowerment Series.  This series initially was a female influence, although I believe there are many genders sided issues the sooner we work together and bring awareness and acceptance (at the least tolerance) to the forefront, we will not be living in a civilized world.

There is a difference between competition when it comes to a game, only one person or one team can win, then the competition to be right when there is no right or wrong, just a difference in beliefs.  In fact, when it comes to winning, I do not believe in the concept that everyone gets a trophy.  What I do believe is we should be able to identify our strengths and enjoy the opportunities to participate.  As much as I would have enjoyed designing clothes and sewing as my mother once did, I never had the passion, and without the passion, I dreamt about fashion but never pursued it.  However, despite putting off my love for writing and broadcasting, I followed my heart despite many telling me I would not succeed.

What is a success?

Newclevelandradio.net would like you to join us as we move forward with our Empowerment Podcasts.  If you would like to be featured or even co-host the series, please contact me at newclevelandradio@gmail.com.  This series will touch on all issues from FEMALE RIGHTS to the RIGHTS of MAN.  I would like to develop a dialogue on the “ME TOO MOVEMENT,” and look at it from all sides and define what it is doing to society!  Aging is another issue, and although some of our shows discuss it, let’s talk about Jobs, Family, and Socializing.  Are we all destine to Senior Living and by the way, what is defined old?  Who defines age?

Along with Terri Lynn and Love Compost – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybdjOs13tp0, let us make this world a better place.

Today is Memorial Day, and for many, it includes a family outing, picnic, hometown parades, and the act of appreciation.  I say act because it takes more than one day a year to appreciate the service(s) of so many who have fought or are willing to fight to defend our freedom.  Sadly, I do not think the elected officials (not all but a large majority,) are not willing to stand up and defend freedom.  Many who were either drafted into service in the past or have chosen to take that path in more recent years are engaged in the American Democracy.  However, we treat most, military personnel with less respect than we seem to give to the Washington Social Circle that is not listening to their constituents.  You and are the constituents, the general public that either voted for or against them.  Whether we chose them with a Yeah or Nay voted they are still entrusted to listen to our wants and needs, and not pursue their own personal glory.

When a civil servant such as those who serve in the Armed Services including the police, firefighters, EMT’s attempt to step out of line they are condemned and yet our Leader(s) are allowed to walk us down the darkened path.

As I said, many will spend the day frolicking at the beaches, or eating in the park, or using the Bar B-Q to make a tasty meal.  However, today is a day that should mean so much more, and we should set an example of compassion, kindness, and respect for each other.  We all have a job to do in life, and we need to pursue dreams, not just ours, unselfishly.

Remember, there is a neighbor, family member, and stranger who is not part of the landscape today.  There are many who are alone, lonely, and do not have the means for a picnic, Bar B Q, or the basic incidentals in life.  Although we may not be able to take care of everyone, we have the obligation to try.

May Memorial Day be your day to REMEMBER HUMAN KINDNESS.

The Day is here – the Day that Alex and I dreamt of two years ago.

When you don’t know what to give your brother (and Uncle) for his birthday, and his best friend, a partner in crime, and brother from another mother, passes away, all celebrations and gift ideas come to a halt.

May 2017 Joelie’s first birthday after the passing of our mother was going to be difficult enough, but now sweet and feisty Charlie Eble’s good fight with the terrible “C” was turning this month into SADNESS!

Alex was just establishing newclevelanradio.net, and as the producer, and podcaster developer, we thought about putting together a tribute.  We had the dream, the idea, but we were too new in our internet station to develop an event like this.

May 2018 with this idea weighing heavily on our shoulders, it was Joel’s birthday once again and the first anniversary of Charlie’s death.  Although Charlie was no longer with us physically, he remained with us, and all of the people he had touched in his life.  As he interviewed many of the talented artists from the Capital Region, Saratoga Springs, and beyond, I heard the murmurings of how he helped so many directly and indirectly.

I knew how much Charlie had done for Alex, especially in the last year of his life.  My son planned a trip to Saratoga Springs the in late April of 2017 as he knew he had to conversate with his mentor, the man we are honoring today, Charlie Eble.  It was at that time Alex discussed some ideas and plans he wanted to accomplish, and his mentor perked up, looked him straight in the eye and said our work is not done!

So when May 2018 came along, I took this idea to the max on behalf of Alex.  Without letting Joel know, I did not want him to dissuade me or anyone else, I began putting the wheels in motion.  I contacted many of the performers I had met and interviewed and others I still wanted to interview, and I got a 100% acceptance that this would not only be a fantastic way to honor a man who had done so much and still means the world to many, but it would be a gift for Joelie, that money could not buy.

This gift did not come without strings attached.  When we met with my big brother in the Fall of 2018; I requested that he produce this event that is happening today, and proclaimed by the Honorable Meg Kelly as Charlie Eble Day.  And with his influence and unstoppable personality he and Sarah Craig developed a scholarship fund in the name of Charlie, that will mean so much more than a plaque.  Today is the first of many, and you will hear the beauty in the talent, and feel the love in each performance.

When Charlie told Alex his work was not done, you will witness that today.  He will be performing a song that he shared with Joel and Charlie two years ago.  Alex had a vision, and today, with special thanks to Jeff Brisbin that vision comes to life!

Today is not just for Charlie, this is a gift for my brother Joel, to let him know how special he is and that when you can’t afford to buy a present, you create one…Happy Life to All!