SPRING… PASSOVER… EASTER: The Season of Rebirth
by Terrence Shulman
As most of us slough off this long, hard, cold winter and wait in anticipation for the new buds of spring, Passover and Easter remind us of the triumphs of breaking free and being reborn. You don’t have to be religious to embrace these universal themes and journeys.
Passover and Easter usually fall in late March to mid-April harbingers of spring. Both holidays celebrate the movement from sorrow to joy, darkness to light, death to rebirth. For Passover, it’s the remembrance of the ancient Hebrews enslavement in Egypt and their eventual (and miraculous) exodus across the Red Sea into the promised land. With Easter, we observe the remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion and his eventual (and miraculous) resurrection 3 days later.
I was brought up Jewish and, while I don’t consider myself very religious, I have fond memories of celebrating Passover and continue to do so. Out of all the Jewish holidays, Passover has always seemed to me the most interestingwith its theme of freedom, its numerous Seder table rituals, the food and wine, and the fact that it’s one of the more family-oriented holidays, often celebrated at one’s home.
I grew up in Detroit in the ’60s and 70’s (Detroit is commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 July Riots). I remember being curious about Easterwhich most of my neighbors and friends celebrated. I often partook of painting (and hiding) eggs and was fascinated with the chocolate bunnies! I didn’t really understand the religious significance of the holiday back then. But over the last 18 years since I’ve been in an interfaith relationship, I’ve observed and celebrated Eastermostly, like Passover, for its rituals, fine food, and gathering of family.
This year, my wife and I are not certain how we’ll be observing Passover as my 92-year old uncle Joe–the host and guardian of the Seder–passed away 3 month sago. For several years until recently, my wife and I hosted a Seder at our home for neighbors and friends, both Jewish and not Jewish. And, this Easter.
Sunday, we’re still uncertain if we’ll be gathering with her family or friends due to lingering Covid concerns.
Sometimes I think, cynically, that holidays are just a prompt to get us to buy stuff and eat a lot; other times, I think it’s just an excuse (usually a wonderful one) to gather and bond with family. I’m not convinced about the accuracy and truth of most holiday stories, but, as I’ve written before, I do my best to appreciate their metaphoric value and to see if I can find meaning in relation to my current life. I encourage you to do so as well.
When I think about the shift from winter to spring, I think of rebirth of lifeflowers, trees, and of increased light and joy. I recall another tough-weathered season that toughened my soul but wore out its welcome. I also look forward to my own personal, professional, and spiritual growth and to shed off some of the old and obsolete patterns that no longer serve me.
This is a great time to ask ourselves the following questions: What did I learn during my winter slumber? What have I been enslaved to and how am I finding new freedom from this? How have I recently died (symbolically) and who has this process given rebirth to?
When is it time to take a stand and when is it time to let go and surrender? When is it time to uproot and make an exodus and when is it time to allow ourselves to be nailed to the cross in the name of something bigger than ourselves? Standing up for ourselves, for a cause, and/or for others can be hard. And we may suffer for it and die in some sense to be reborn. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Jesus and Moses certainly went through their trials and tribulations but they have endured as symbols of strength and transformation for millions.
Many of us feel as if we’ve wandered “40 years” between enslavement and freedom, have felt crucified and resurrected and those budding flowers of spring both delicate and strong beyond measure, we face the cycle of the seasons within and without. But we can endure, we can grow, we can move toward freedom.
So, what has died (or is dying) in you in order to be reborn? What is emerging?
During my winter slumber, I continued the process my 82-year old mother’s and my Uncle Joe’s. passings.
And, just this past March 3rd, my wife and I had to put down our beloved 17-year old male Shih-tzu dog.
Bam Bam. Still, I am practicing reclaiming my truest sources of strength and abundance which does not lie within certain people but, rather, more deeply within myself and the universe. I’ve continued to see more clearly painfully some time how I still have patterns of deep fear around failure and around not having enough money to survive. I also continue to see more clearly how I have tended to live out my early family role of the strong one, the self-sufficient one, the one who never gets angry. Is it any wonder I shoplifted on and off for ten years from age 15 to 25?
I just celebrated 32 years of recovery last month. I can see how far I’ve come not only in my recovery but in my life. I feel blessed to have had so many opportunities in my recovery and in my work to meet and help others and to be a voice for hope and recovery. I continue to experience periodic doubts and insecurities, frustration and impatience around finances and where my path may lead. But, I hope, I can learn to speak my truth more, take myself and life more lightly, trust I will be provided for, and balance work and play. In other words, I hope the Terry I am continues to become more himself.
We may look at the world around us and see deep darkness: endless war, environmental decay, political polarization, and the lingering legacy of discrimination and prejudice in many forms. I try to remember the symbolism of the Hebrews “breakthrough” and subsequent 40 years of wandering in the desert before finding higher ground. I try to remember the persecution of Jesus and his suffering on the cross but try not to dwell on the crucifixion but, rather, on the resurrection. May we all acknowledge our individual and collective suffering but also claim our victory over it. May we appreciate the beautiful rituals of Passover and Easter and the food and family and also appreciate the opportunity to start again, to renew, to be reborn, to find freedom and believe in miracles, in the impossible, once again..
MY DOG BAM BAM WAS… AND REMAINS… MY HERO
by
Terrence Shulman
In honor of my 17-year old dog Bam Bam’s recent passing just a month ago on March 3rd, I offer this re-run of my newsletter article I posted about four years ago… We love you Bam Bam… you blessed us for over 8- vears with your sweetness love courage and beauty You will live on in our hearts forever.
My 13-year old Shihtzu, Bam Bam, recently had surgery to remove both of his eyeballs. It’s a procedure called enucleation. You can look it up and even watch this type of surgery on YouTube. (I did just that the night before his surgery). My wife and I are childfree (not childless) and we often call Bam Bam our four- legged baby. So, naturally, we both were nervous the day of his surgery but, fortunately, it went very well. Bam Bam’s back to his old playful and colorful self. The fact that he’s blindperhaps even blinder than blind- doesn’t seem to be affecting him at all, except for a little more hesitation jumping on and off couches and beds!
We’ve had Bam Bam for over 3 years. He was born blind in his right eye. He was born in Texas, one of a full litter of Shihtzu pups. Story has it that an older couple from my area of Michigan were traveling in the lone star state when they stopped for gas. The wife was never an animal or pet lover but she caught a glimpse of the litter of pups in the flatbed of a pickup truck fueling up along side of her. She peeked over the lip and locked eyes (or eye) with a feisty black and white pup with a cloudy right eye. Something opened in her heart that had never opened before. The truck and pup owner noticed her connection with the one pooch in the pack and said that he and the others were for sale. Within moments, she’d convinced herself and her husband that they needed to have this dog. And, as they say, the rest was history.
“Bambino” (Italian for “little child”) had about ten good years with his new family. The couple had three grown daughters and “Bam Bam” (his nickname) seemed to fill the empty nest. His “mamma” spoiled him rotten. She cooked his meals special and took up painting pictures of her little canine king.
But, as things inevitably change, the couple got older and fell ill and soon passed one after the other. Bam Bam was distributed among the daughters and other family members over a year or so. He wound up with Lori, a kindhearted daughter in her late 50s who lived in a trailer park in the rough-n-tumble city of Pontiac. She was unemployed, struggled with mental illness and addiction, and had been reliant upon public and social services to survive. Enter my middle-brother, Jordy, who had just become a “peer support specialist” in Pontiac. As a former consumer of such services himself, he’d been hired and train to assist clients just like Lorihe’d coach her, provide transportation, and help her learn to help herself.
I got a phone call late afternoon Wednesday January 8, 2014 as a snowstorm started making its way in. Jordy was on the line asking me if I wanted to rescue a 10year old 3/4 blind Shihtzu (by then, Bam Bam’s left eye had a major cataract). It turned out Lori was in danger of being evicted for having a dog in her trailer home. No Pets Allowed! Jordy texted me a photo of Bam Bam looking up at him with two red, infected eyes, matted fur, and a look of desperation that simply conveyed: help me.
I checked in with my wife Tina about what to do. We both had mixed feelings about helping. “Tell Jordy we’ll take the dog for one week but he’d better find him a home!” she barked. I ventured out at dusk as rush-hour traffic was winding down. I got lost and then stuck in the neighborhood street (which hadn’t been plowed) near the trailer park. A tall, lanky man in dark clothes emerged out of nowhere and helped push my car out of the rut and then disappeared into the blizzard as fast as he’d appeared. I made it to the trailer, met my brother, and Bam Bam scurried right up to me and pawed at my shins to pick him up. I knelt down and did so. Lori gave me a bag with his blanket, a gray skull-and-crossbones dog sweater, some toys (“his babies” as she called them), and some dog treats. And then I left with dog in tow.
When I got home, Tina wouldn’t come downstairs. She didn’t want to get attached. Finally, though, she did. And we both knew pretty quickly that Bam Bam was a divine gift. “Who rescued who?”is a great bumper sticker I’d seen once or twice. Tina and I would joke that if God wanted us to have a dog or a baby, that it would have to virtually fall into our laps or be dropped off at our doorstep. We’d dog-sat and even “coparented” several of our friends Shih-tzus over the years. But they’d all gone to doggie heaven and we were jonesing for some occasional puppy-love but not quite ready to take on a “four-legged baby” of our own.
Bam Bam is very special to us. He’s a true trooper and a good therapy dog to our clients who come over for massanes from my wife and/or psychotherapy from me He hrings us great inv and as evidenced by his wagging tail, the feeling is mutual. I don’t know about other languages, but is it any wonder that in English at least, “dog” and “god” are so similar?
NATIONAL SPRING CLEANING WEEK IS MARCH 27 – APRIL 1 Here’s An 8-Hour Spring-Cleaning Guide From Start to Finish!
by
Lynn Andriani
Go beyond the weekly dusting, sweeping and mopping to get your home deep-cleaned-all in just one day
9 Α.Μ.-10 Α.Μ.: Bathroom
Vacuum and wipe the walls and ceilings. If you clear them annually of the almost imperceptible grime that builds up, then you won’t have to deal with the impossible-to-remove kind that can accumulate if they’re left untouched for a few years. Vacuum first, using the brush attachment. Then, wipe them with all-purpose cleaner, which is fine for painted walls. Don’t forget the wall that’s behind you every morning when you do your hair and makeup; it could be coated in hairspray, perfume or other beauty products.
Toss any throw rugs into the washing machine.
Wash mirrors and the insides of windows. Use microfiber cloths (they won’t leave lint).
Spray and soak. Steve Mulloy, director of housekeeping at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, recommends rubbing strong cleaning agents into shower walls, tubs, floors and sinks and then leaving to handle a task in another room. Fifteen or 20 minutes later (you can go move the rugs from the washer to the dryer), come back and rinse everything from the top down, starting with the shower-head. Take the same tack with the toilet, moving from the top of the tank to the rim, bowl and base. And don’t use the cloths you used in the bathroom anywhere else before laundering them in very hot water.
Rinse the floor. After you’ve let the cleanser soak, as mentioned above, wipe the floor with a water-soaked mop on your way out.
Next: Airing out the bedrooms, and the right way to wash all those sheets and dust ruffles
10 Α.Μ.-12:30 P.M.: Bedrooms
Vacuum and wipe walls and ceilings, and dust all surfaces. Pay special attention to switch plates and the outside edges of doors, where people tend to grab.
Let it breathe. A good airing will reduce the allergens and germs in mattresses, even if you can’t lug them outside. Follow the advice of the Victorian era’s go-to guide, Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management: “Throw the bed open, by taking off the clothes; open the windows (except in rainy weather), and leave the room to air.” In Mrs. Beeton’s day, housemaids left the windows open for a half hour, but if it isn’t too cold, a few hours is even better.
Head to the washing machine. Once all the linens-sheets, pillowcases, quilts, duvet covers, mattress pads, dust ruffles, shams are off the beds, wash them in order of what goes on the bed first (i.e., start with dust ruffles and mattress pads; end with shams) so you can put them back on the beds as they come out of the dryer and not have to worry about them sitting in a heap and getting wrinkled. If you’re switching over to lighter quilts, wash the winter bedding before putting it away, because moths and other insects are attracted to body oil, perspiration and perfume.
Clean window treatments. For heavy drapes, use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum, or have them dry-cleaned; light drapes can go in the dryer on the fluff cycle with a dryer sheet.
Wash mirrors and the insides of windows.
Shampoo or steam-clean wall-to-wall carpets and area rugs. Some manufacturers will void the warranty if you can’t prove that you’ve had your carpets professionally cleaned every year. Either buy a professional- grade carpet cleaner (which costs around $400) or rent one (many supermarkets now offer this service).
Next: The kitchen (and how to get stubborn grease off of stove grates)
12:30 P.M.-2 P.M.: Kitchen
Clean the refrigerator and freezer. Empty the contents, store them in a cooler, turn off the fridge, and let the shelves and drawers come to room temperature before you wash them, since glass and ceramic parts could crack if they come into contact with hot water when they are cold. (You can move to the next task while you’re waiting.) Once they’ve warmed up, wipe with a mixture of 2 tablespoons baking soda and a quart of hot water. Rinse and dry. Go over the door seals with hot water and mild dishwashing liquid, and pluck out crumbs and other debris. Dry them well.
Degrease cooking appliances. Take off stove grates and other removable parts, and scrub them with soapy steel wool pads (if the grease just won’t come off, try letting them sit overnight in an airtight bag with a quarter cup of ammonia; the next day, wipe them with a clean cloth). Clean the oven. To get stuck-on food particles off the inside of the microwave, put a microwave-safe bowl of water with some lemon juice inside and heat it to boiling for 2 or 3 minutes. The steam will loosen gunk, and the lemon’s acid will help lift grease.
Clean window treatments and wash the insides of windows.
Wash mirrors and the insides of windows.
Shampoo or steam-clean wall-to-wall carpets and area rugs. Some manufacturers will void the warranty if you can’t prove that you’ve had your carpets professionally cleaned every year. Either buy a professional- grade carpet cleaner (which costs around $400) or rent one (many supermarkets now offer this service).
Next: The kitchen (and how to get stubborn grease off of stove grates)
12:30 P.M.-2 P.M.: Kitchen
Clean the refrigerator and freezer. Empty the contents, store them in a cooler, turn off the fridge, and let the shelves and drawers come to room temperature before you wash them, since glass and ceramic parts could crack if they come into contact with hot water when they are cold. (You can move to the next task while you’re waiting.) Once they’ve warmed up, wipe with a mixture of 2 tablespoons baking soda and a quart of hot water. Rinse and dry. Go over the door seals with hot water and mild dishwashing liquid, and pluck out crumbs and other debris. Dry them well.
Degrease cooking appliances. Take off stove grates and other removable parts, and scrub them with soapy steel wool pads (if the grease just won’t come off, try letting them sit overnight in an airtight bag with a quarter cup of ammonia; the next day, wipe them with a clean cloth). Clean the oven. To get stuck-on food particles off the inside of the microwave, put a microwave-safe bowl of water with some lemon juice inside and heat it to boiling for 2 or 3 minutes. The steam will loosen gunk, and the lemon’s acid will help lift grease.
Clean window treatments and wash the insides of windows.
Clean and dust electronics. Spray compressed air into crevices. Then, moving from top to bottom, use microfiber or electrostatic cloths. Clean underneath speakers, stereos, computers, DVD players and TVs too. Wipe away from ventilation areas so you don’t push dust back in.
Sweep out your fireplace, storing unused logs.
Clean the carpets.
Order pizza for dinner.
HAVE A SAFE MONTH & NEW YEAR, AND REMEMBER: LIFE IS WHAT WE MAKE OF IT!