The first two nights of Passover are behind us, and perhaps we have escaped the narrow places in our lives. Or perhaps not. It’s hard to embrace freedom when we don’t know what’s ahead of us, and we are unaware of the wonder that awaits.

So we count. Count the Omer – the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot.
Count the hours between liberation and revelation.
Count the things we left behind so that we don’t forget.
Count the steps we take toward growing.
Count the people who come with us.
The arms around our shoulders.
The hands that find ours.
Count today. Count tomorrow.
Count the ones who make freedom feel more free.

For a daily Omer* meditation, follow Ritualwell – they are posting art and 200-character reflections each day. Mine will be posted on May 3/4, day 14 of the Omer, Malkhut she’b’Gvurah – sovereignty within boundaries. I’m proud to have contributed again to my favorite site for contemporary Jewish ritual and writing.

Happy Counting, Beloveds. May every journey bring you closer to the home inside of you.

*Each of the seven weeks between Passover and Shauvot are associated with an aspect of God’s soul – and our souls: Chesed (lovingkindness), Gevurah (judgment/boundaries), Tiferet (harmony), Hod (splendor), Netzach (endurance), Yesod (foundation) and Malkhut (sovereignty). Each day within each week is associate with one of these seven aspects as well. For example, day one of the Omer is Chesed within Chesed. Day Two is Gevurah (boundaries) within Chesed (lovingkindness). To read more about it, look here: https://www.ritualwell.org/ritual/introduction-counting-omer