Thank You Hashem for returning my soul to me!

After eating those pecan nuts, I went to bed having sweet dreams of my next day -- thinking about -- oh w0w- I can't imagine how my next day's מודה אני שהחזרת בי נשמתי - will be.. and my strong desire to say it -- so passionately -- Thank You Hashem for returning to me my soul.

It's been almost 4 months with no skating trips. It's been lots of inward journies and maybe too much. But Today, it's changing - Tu B'Shvat is coming up a new year for the trees.. for tree huggers.. and for people who want to bloom..

I'm headed to Jerusalem and from there to the sea of life.. While putting on my skates I sing to myself a song about "and you forgot what it is to live .. Hashem please remind me what life is" - of joy and happiness - and love -- where everything and everyone is so so beautiful -- glowing -- alive!

I had an excellent skating trip -- it felt great to be back.. The road, though, was quite rough.. (and wish it was repaired). I was going to head to my favorite hot springs but met someone who told me that they're gone - they have been covered in earth with the recent flash floods. But --there was a new one - another hot spring - I think I have never been to that one - I was so lucky to get a ride directly to it - this magical place.. a hot spring right off the ocean..
It was the best! No one was there.. just surrounded by desert mountains, cliffs, beautiful sky and the ocean..

The ocean was like I've never seen before -- so so stormy with crashing waves.. Wow!
It was just what I needed. I bathed in the hot springs, splashed in the ocean and went in for a quick dip in the cold waters of the ocean, got muddy, warmed up again relaxing my body and bones in the hot springs, washed up with the cool water of my water bottle, put on my clothes.. The winds were blowing and I sat there taking in all this and felt really good. I davened Mincha- wow! I was so thankful to Hashem!! and then walked along the shore while watching sunset. It was marvelous!

As it was getting dark, I headed to the road and then soon later got a ride to Jerusalem for a refreshing rejuvenating experience in a bit different environment - in the world of the mind and feelings -- Rabbi Yitzchak Schwartz Musical meditations on Tu B'shvat and the sefirah of Binah! The meditations reflected my day's experiences and brought them even higher.

לב טהור ברא לי אלוקים ורוח נכון חדש בקרבי
cherry tree roots, trunk, water rain blossoms kids delighting with sweet cherries..
binah.. attracting the collection of treasures חכמה , becoming a vessel to develop and nuture..

May we all continue blossoming!
Happy New Year!