First Duplication

As there are 52 cards, I know that the same card is going to come up eventually. I wasn't expecting it on day 3! I gotta learn to shuffle better.

So today I am again divine witness. Striving for my words and actions to be true witness to who I am, and trying to interact with those around me without judgement.

This morning we went to synagogue. We found a lovely little synagogue near our home. Okay, I think it is the only synagogue in our city, but still. It is a reform congregation who have been nothing but welcoming to this interfaith couple. The atmosphere reminds me very much of my church at home. Family oriented, the music is provided by members of the congregation, rather small congregation, open in both mind and spirit, and warm.
This morning there was a Bat Mitzvah. As I don't read, speak, or understand Hebrew, there are large sections of the service that I can't follow along. But the chanting nature of the service allowed me time to meditate and reflect. The feeling of joy and celebration was electrifying the air. I took deep breaths, drawing the energy inside and letting that feeling fill me.
I love the Jewish ceremonies and services that I get to observe. It was especially moving to see the young girl up at the front this morning with her family. The Torah was passed from her great-grandfather, to her grandmother, to her parents, and finally to her. It is meant to symbolize how the faith is passed from one generation to another. I love the feeling of connection that comes from the traditions.

The synagogue was packed with friends and family of the Bat Mitzvah. There were also two children who were very ill-behaved,. Definitely old enough to know better. Running up and down the aisles. The young boy would not keep his yarmulke on (again, old enough to know better - he was about 7 or 8. I don't mean a 2 year old), and was running up to the front where they were reading from the Torah (if you are male, you need to have your yarmulke on, especially if you are at the front). The parents were not doing anything to try to control the situation.
At one point Andy whispered to me "I don't like them either". I jotted a quick note to him - explaining that I am trying to interact with the world without judgement. I said that I was trying to remember what it was like to be a young child, at a long and sometimes boring service, that you don't understand. If all the family had come together for this event, the house was probably full of excitement, food, and maybe even a late night. There had been baskets of candy at the entrance - during the service we were to throw the candy at the Bat Mitzvah to symbolize this sweet time - I don't think all the candy made it to that part of the service.

The difference was obvious at the end. As we drove away, Andy complained about this family, stating that they had ruined the service for him. Without thinking, I replied "No, you're letting them ruin it for you".
Before, I would have let them ruin it for me to.

All that being said, had I acted like that, I would have been disintegrated by the Superman like red laser beam eye lights that my dad would have fixed upon me at the first sign of acting up. I'm just saying.