This Time of Year

 

In Judaism, as in many other religions, there are times to “repent” for our wrongdoings and make SINCERE promises to try to do better in the coming year, months, and days. At the time that you are reading this, we are about twelve days away from the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the 2-day festival of our Hebrew New Year, 5783 (sundown on September 25, 2022)

Just like the “Lord’s Prayer” (forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us), we ask for forgiveness in a prayer called “Avinu Malkeinu” (For our sinful actions which we have committed in Your sight… bring us back to You in perfect Repentance).

Rosh Hashanah is followed by Yom Kippur (25 hours beginning at sundown, October 4, 2022), at which time the “Book of Life” is sealed for the year, and we are judged by G-d based on our intentions, our repentance, and the changes we make inside our hearts to be better, to do better. We ask for forgiveness from those we have hurt, as we forgive those who have hurt us.

Sometimes we cannot physically ask for or give understanding, but it must be in our hearts and minds. The hurts we may have inflicted, if done intentionally, are not forgiven… if accidentally, they can be. That doesn’t mean there is no hope for the future, it means we must try harder.

As in the secular new year, this is a time to look forward, to appreciate what we have, and who we have in our lives, and hopefully be able to start anew with more kindness and understanding. We try, with all our might, to be better people.

To you I say “L’shanah tovah tikateivu v’teichateimu”; A good year, and may you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life.

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Second Chances

We hear about people getting second chances all the time — marriages reconnect, employees are rehired, friendships rekindle… But sometimes that “second chance” is really a new beginning.

A woman gets burnt by a selfish and abusive husband and gets the gumption to leave him and build a new life. And so the newly divorced woman finds a new love, someone who treats her as an equal with all the respect and courtesy she deserves. Sounds like a romance novel, right?

Or how about the employee who made a mistake and is blamed for costing the company a fortune, he gets fired on the spot. After a few tears, and maybe even a few drinks (not too many I hope), he decides to pick himself up and get out there again. So he pounds the pavement for a while and finally lands himself an incredible job and in the ideal world he gets to stay there a long time moving up the ladder. Another Hollywood movie of inspiration?

How about the young teenager who struggles with homework and freezes with every class quiz. Then a special teacher offers her extra help and she manages to pass the class and graduate with the rest of her peers. Maybe this is only a fairy tale we tell our kids to make them work harder?

These are all second chances, a do-over to hopefully get it right this time. Sometimes the changes we face in life may seem insurmountable, sometimes we really aren’t interested in moving on, maybe we feel too defeated or things happen that leave us totally scarred and afraid. Sometimes we can’t get past that feeling of failure, or maybe we are just too scared to try again.

But everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone deserves to feel happiness. None of us are infallible, that’s actually part of the beauty of being human.

If you have suffered a disappointment and are finding it hard to try again, or maybe even just go on, then please know that YOU deserve GOOD, you deserve to forgive yourself or others. The world would be far worse off without you in it. Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends, counselors, your faith, or your own heart. We need you.

Don’t be afraid to grab that second chance — as many times as it takes.

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1-800-273-8255

Renewal ~ #MondayBlogs

We’re in the middle the Jewish holidays, last week was Rosh Hashanah (beginning of the Jewish New Year) and this coming week is Yom Kippur. Traditionally most people who observe the holiday take time off from work to pray and reflect on their actions, to ask forgiveness for slights don to others (intentionally or unintentionally) and to forgive those who might have slighted us.

I’ve been lucky (workwise) in recent months and have dealt with multiple deadlines; so my first reaction after sundown the second day of Rosh Hashanah as I hurried back to my desk (yes I work from home) was thinking that I LOST two days I could have worked! And then I caught myself… I hadn’t lost anything, I reflected on who I was and who I was trying to be. The self-reflection helped me to learn WHY I did the work I do, it helped me to understand what my priorities are.

In addition to the peacefulness I feel after making earnest attempts to forgive others that I had been angered or hurt by, I also have gained valuable time in my life that isn’t wasted by tears and resentment. My reflection has forced me to face my own failings and has given me the encouragement to be better, kinder, and more productive. The time I spent in prayer and thought also made realize all the people in my life and all the things I have that I am so very grateful for.

I can’t promise to always think before I act or speak, and I can’t be sure I will always react kinder and fairer when something or someone “rubs me wrong”, but I know it is important to try. If one ten-day period (the Days of Awe) were enough to guarantee improvement, we wouldn’t need this yearly ritual. The ten day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is a time for self-reflection, repentance and renewal. The process of our atonement concludes with Yom Kippur which this year begins this Tuesday at sundown and goes through Wednesday at sundown.

There is irony in our New Year’s observance; Rosh Hashanah actually begins on the first day of the seventh month. There are three other New Year observances on the Jewish calendar but Rosh Hashanah is the most major and yet all that makes it most unique is the blowing of the shofar and preceding Yom Kippur so closely. The shofar, a ram’s horn, allows each listener to interpret the message they hear, a patterned series of blasts that seems to reach into our hearts and minds. This is a period of renewal, we figuratively wipe the slate clean.

I gave myself some extra time before resuming my work and when I did start again I felt less pressure and in a happier mood. And even though I was much closer to deadlines… I didn’t miss a single one.

It’s important to take a few steps back now and then, to take a look at ourselves, re-organize our priorities, be more accepting of others, and be thankful for what we have. It definitely makes for a nicer life.

click here to hear the Shofar

Introducing The Meeting ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 11/23/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the
WeWriWa blog

I'm moving to another story from The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero, a short-story collection which exemplifies (I hope) the diversity of my writing.

This snippet is from The Meeting which begins in 1942 at a train station platform in Charleston, South Carolina.

“Make sure you send me a letter as soon as you get there,” Jeannette stopped to dry her eyes, “you just know how I am going to miss you.”

“Oh honey, I‘ll write to you every day,” Melanie hugged the best friend she always shared everything with. Their mommas had taken them for walks in their baby carriages together, they were there for each other‘s first dates, they consoled each other when Melanie‘s big brother left to go fight the big war, and they stayed up late reading letters from Melanie’s ill mother. “Oh I wish I didn‘t have to leave you.”

“You tell your momma to get well so you can bring her home again.”

“Last call for Greensboro,” the train engineer poked his head out to remind passengers to get their luggage loaded.

In another car an M.P. checked the cuffs of the prisoner he was transporting from Georgia and then motioned to another soldier on the train.

“I‘m going to step off and have a smoke,” he was satisfied the prisoner wasn‘t going anywhere.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

The Meeting

From a random meeting in the south during WW2 to a
marriage and love that lasts for an eternity.

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The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero is a single author collection of short stories featuring Introduction, Pussycat Tails, Holiday Happiness, Not Alone, I Swear That Raccoon Just Knocked on the Door, Stormy Weather, A Mother’s Love, More Than a Friend, The Meeting, The Vacation and a special bonus section.

from the book's dedication...

To my parents, Marcy & Reva, their relationship was the epitome 

of the love story and the inspiration for "The Meeting"

One more snippet from NOT ALONE - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 11/16/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the
WeWriWa blog

A few weeks ago I began running snippets from the story Not Alone from my short story collection, The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero.. Told in 1st person POV we learned that someone had died and everyone was blaming Jordan, including the narrator. Here is one more snippet from the story and we'll find out a bit more of what happened... Next week I'll move on to another story - but read to the end of this post if you are still interested in finding out how this story goes.

Kimmie’s dad came by to pick up the rest of his daughter’s things; we shared a suite in the dorms. He hugged me and thanked me for the friendship I shared with his daughter. He told me how much it meant to him and his wife to hear me talk about Kimmie during the memorial service. Then he asked me to help keep Kimmie alive by never forgetting her. When he left, the tears began to fall again and I stared at a picture of my best friend while I cried.

Maybe I didn’t really, or maybe I did, but I heard Kimmie’s voice telling me that Jordan needed me. I thought that maybe I was losing my mind, it could have just been the desperation I felt, but I knew that I heard her voice. So I went over to Jordan’s off-campus apartment; I stared at his door for a few minutes before I actually knocked.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Not Alone

Sometimes forgiveness seems impossible, but then so is turning your back on a friend.

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NOT ALONE is available as a FREE
audio preview of my short story collection

Download Chelle’s audio story NOT ALONE
from this short story collection [FREE]
http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=1901650
(narrated by Wendy Tremont King)

The story behind Not Alone ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 11/09/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Last week I started with a snippet from the story Not Alone from my short story collection, The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero.. Told in 1st person POV we learned that someone had died and everyone was blaming Jordan, including the narrator. Here is another snippet from the story and we'll find out a bit more of what happened...

As word of Kimmie’s death spread across the campus, the ostracizing began. Her friends and classmates were too stunned to think beyond losing such a young, vibrant friend. Kimmie’s parents had suffered one of the worst things that ever could happen to a parent; they had no room for forgiveness in their hearts, grief was taking up too much space. It was easier to blame someone than to try to make sense of it, our friends turned on Jordan as well.

I cried non-stop at Kimmie’s funeral and thought of all the long phone calls we had and the shopping trips to the mall and cramming for tests. I couldn’t imagine a world without my best friend or a world without her laughter. Even though I knew that Jordan had been banned from attending the funeral I was angry that he wasn’t there to witness the mourning, the loss and the questions of how we were all supposed to go on.

That was yesterday.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Not Alone

Sometimes forgiveness seems impossible, but then so is turning your back on a friend.

 AUDIO 

PRINT 

Kindle 

 AllRomance Ebooks 

 iBooks 

 Smashwords 

The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero is a single author collection of short stories featuring Introduction, Pussycat Tails, Holiday Happiness, Not Alone, I Swear That Raccoon Just Knocked on the Door, Stormy Weather, A Mother’s Love, More Than a Friend, The Meeting, The Vacation and a special bonus section.

The Inspiration For This Story: First let me put the disclaimer here that this story is PURE fiction, however I was inspired to write it after an incident that happened near my home.
Without going into the identifying details - a young man that we had known for a number of years was involved in a work related accident, he was driving. His co-worker, sitting in the passenger seat, was severely injured and left disabled, no one knew for sure, including the doctors, if she would even survive. It was known that his injuries, although serious, were not life threatening and after long-term physical therapy would be overcome. Although witnesses came forward to say he didn't appear to be at fault, the girl's parents and several friends blamed him for her injuries.
I remember speaking with him one evening when he came to visit, he was still wearing a back brace and bandages. He was blaming himself - he said maybe if his reaction had been quicker, if the major impact was on his side and not hers, if he had chosen a different route all together, if, if, if...
What I remember most from our conversation that night was a  combination of hurt and anger he expressed - while in the hospital they placed him under a suicide watch because, when he first found out how maimed she was, he uttered the words, "It should have been me." He told me that the last thing he would do would be to take "the easy way out" and relieve himself of his guilt by killing himself.
The case went to trial and he was found innocent of criminal negligence, but did lose a lawsuit in civil court her parents initiated. He also lost his livelihood because of liability after the lawsuit.
I definitely thought of the pain in this young man's eyes when I created Jordan.

How Kimmie Died ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 11/02/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Last week I started with a snippet from the story Not Alone from my short story collection, The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero.. Told in 1st person POV we learned that someone had died and everyone was blaming Jordan, including the narrator. Here is another snippet from the story and we'll find out a bit more of what happened...

I left the party that night early, too early to know that Kimmie’s boyfriend dumped her and left her at the party while he went home with another girl. She was upset and shouldn’t have been drinking; most of the folks at the party were under the legal drinking age – but that’s another issue altogether.

Kimmie wanted to go home, she couldn’t even hold onto her keys, Jordan offered to drive her. He drank a beer early in the evening, he was one of the few who could legally, and then he hadn’t had anything else for hours. The cops even said that his blood alcohol level was well below the legal limits, Jordan was just trying to be a nice guy.

I visited Jordan in his hospital room right after I heard about the accident, I didn’t even know that Kimmie was dead. Jordan was devastated, he told me how he got cut off on that dark and winding road and the car rolled down the embankment. There were no witnesses; just a minor paint scrape on the front fender.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Not Alone

Sometimes forgiveness seems impossible, but then so is turning your back on a friend.

 AUDIO 

PRINT 

Kindle 

 AllRomance Ebooks 

 iBooks 

 Smashwords 

The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero is a single author collection of short stories featuring Introduction, Pussycat Tails, Holiday Happiness, Not Alone, I Swear That Raccoon Just Knocked on the Door, Stormy Weather, A Mother’s Love, More Than a Friend, The Meeting, The Vacation and a special bonus section.

Part of a short story collection - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 10/26/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Last week I hadn't realized that I had already run through a group of A Chaunce of Riches snippets earlier this year, so I am changing direction this week and will feature my short story collection, The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero.

Here is a snippet from the story Not Alone...

I ignored the changing numbers on the alarm clock as long as I could. I still refused to believe that anything that had happened over the past few days was real; it was all a nightmare, that’s all.

As my toes sought the warmth of my slippers, the tears began to fall again, no matter how many times I tried to deny it, my best friend was buried yesterday. They wouldn’t let Jordan come to the cemetery. Everyone blamed him, even me.

For the two days that Jordan had been hospitalized, they kept him under a suicide watch. That angered him because it meant that people thought he would want to take “the coward’s way out” as he called it. He said it wasn’t his fault, but he still blamed himself.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Not Alone

Sometimes forgiveness seems impossible, but then so is turning your back on a friend.

 AUDIO 

PRINT 

Kindle 

 AllRomance Ebooks 

 iBooks 

 Smashwords 

Time to reflect - #MondayBlogs

This past weekend was Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year. These "sins" are between the individual and G-d, a time to repent and sincerely make an effort to do better; if there are transgressions against your fellow man, you are expected to make your peace with that individual.

As children we always thought this holiday was the day we received our get-out-of-jail-free card.

I spent the day in a lot of self-reflection. Whether it is religious obligation, court-ordered (can they do that?), a suggestions from a friend, or simply common-sense, spending a day looking at yourself and your actions, meditating about your life, is a healthy and calming thing to do. Your actions do not have to be action-verbs like running, driving, talking, etc., they also include your thoughts and emotions.

Are you spending your day being angry at someone who has done you wrong? Are you dwelling in the past or filled with regrets about what you didn't get to do or say? Are you wasting your life with crippling thoughts about things that can't be undone, or obsessed with people who bring nothing positive to your world? Are you allowing anger to consume you and destroy your happiness?

When you meditate and inspect your own being, you give yourself a chance to resolve issues, find your strengths, realize your potential. and look ahead to the future. Spend some time concentrating on yourself, sorting out what your priorities are, and learning how to be happy. Whatever term you use, count your blessings, the positives, the "things" you have (not just material) that make you feel rich. Don't waste time plotting revenge on those that have hurt you or being envious of the things someone else has - instead get to know yourself.

During the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, Jews believe the Book of Life is opened and our fate for the coming year is inscribed; this gives great inspiration to sincerely atone for our transgressions and promise to be better.

There is no need to wait for once a year though, we can make daily efforts to be better people, to be more considerate of our fellow man, and more truthful, Just one act of kindness can improve someone's life, a random smile can bring happiness, an hour of selfless time can make someone feel important, a compassionate ear may be salvation for someone who feels lost and desperate.

At the end of the day you can take stock in your contribution to the world - and that can make your day.

May you all have a healthy peaceful and fulfilling year.