Dancing to Shavuot - Omer Day 31

by Carol Reiman

ONE, two, three, FOUR, five, six.... My personal form of interval training alternates counting by threes to 120 and counting by twos to 60. This repetition gets me to and from buses, across campus, and on my way most places. If I lose count, I find myself automatically starting again by threes. When I told a friend about my habit, she noted that this is a waltz rhythm. So I dance forward.

My steps have sometimes come hard--now with arthritis over snow and ice, when I am short on sleep, when I am afraid of falling, when I would rather be someplace else. I find the focus helpful, pushing away distractions, worries over missing the mark or fitting in all I must do. I note my progress, I adjust my pace to the conditions, I take time and detours where needed. I keep counting. ONE, two, three, FOUR, five, six....

Walking from the bondage of fear to the freedom of knowledge and the acceptance of responsibility can be a long journey. Just as we count the Omer from Pesach to Shavuot, we take steps to be accountable in our time for our world. It is hard to hear the naysayers of climate change, hard to hear those who deem it too late to take action. Though not up to long marches on my feet, I can use my voice. I can share information, I can connect people, I can choose how I use resources. My path may be full of curves, but my steps will keep me in motion, making progress, making improvements. Counting, counting, counting, I dance to the mountain ahead. ONE, two, three, FOUR, five, six....

Today is Day 31, which is four weeks and three days of the Omer.
Today is Day 31, which is four weeks and three days of the journey from bondage to revelation.

Carol Reiman is a member of Ma'yan Tikvah in Wayland and Temple B'nai Brith in Somerville. She also dances between cataloging library materials and caring for cats.