Cycles - Omer Day 36

by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen

We cycle through life,
up and down,
constantly leaving behind,
continuously starting anew.

At times, our cycles intersect
with those of others,
perhaps touching,
or seeming to,

perhaps moving in different planes,
or at different meters-- 
adagio here,
agitato there,
or allegretto --
in longer cycles,
or shorter ones, 
or cycles with different directions
or different meanings.

Certain moments,
the spirit within us
may move us 
to step back
and look around,

and then we notice 
that the cycles
are interconnected,
with each other,
and with all that surrounds us--
even,
or perhaps especially,
when we seem to be barely hanging on.

And when we begin to see and to hear and to acknowledge all this,
we feel the strength of our own backbone,
solid and upright within us,
and we know 
we are growing taller,

we realize 
we have left bondage behind,
and for fleeting moments 
we perceive that we are free,

we glimpse the larger picture,

we recognize our insignificance
in the scheme of things,
and even perhaps,
just possibly,
we sense

that revelation 

is on its way.

Today is Day 36, which is five weeks and one day of the Omer.
Today is Day 36, which is five weeks and one day of the journey from bondage to revelation.

Rabbi Katy Allen is a board certified chaplain and serves as a Nature Chaplain and the Facilitator of One Earth Collaborative, a program of Open Spirit. She is the founder and rabbi of Ma'yan Tikvah - A Wellspring of Hope, which holds services outdoors all year long. She is a co-convener and coordinator of the Boston-based Jewish Climate Action Network.