DAY 25 is halfway there. It is Netzach within Netzach. Infinity inside infinity – a world wide web of possibilities within a simple single blade of grass, kernel of rice, the pupil of an eye.
‘Climb up mount Fuji little snail, but, slowly, slowly’ is one of my favorite quotes, of Zen origin, written by J.D. Salinger in ‘Franny & Zooey’ – a pivotal read in my teens.
(I once lived on the 7th floor walk up of a building in Jerusalem, where the stairs spiraled up towards my home and open roof and light. I wrote this sentence on the walls, spiraling up, a walking meditation)
Climbing the mountain of Sinai as this count continues from inner slavery to inner revelation is, half way thru, still exciting- but also a chore. Gotta do it because I committed to it – again, reminder – if only to focus on discipline, on daily routine, on finding the eternal, infinite grandeur in the ‘little’ steps of every day life, each conversation, each laundry load or email sent. Slowly, slowly – but make it to the top. Not a race, either – slow is fine, and enjoy the scenery along the way. Task today: pause to look back at the last 24 days – what’s happened? what’s changed within?
and what’s ahead?
I got a great gift for my birthday – a shaving kit, super fancy.. and now, I wait with patience to day 51, when I get to trim my beard (its getting thick) and maybe shave it all off for a bit and then start again. For this shabbat I will again unplug, buy lilacs for the Sabbath Queen, and, slowly, slowly, climb up one more step towards the inner summit of more love, and self love, and embodying the yearning for intimacy in every little step, infinite progress achieved, one breath at a time.
