It feels so scary to put yourself out there, especially in front of people you know, to try and create something new. This week I hosted a free intro session for my first official cycle of Journal to the Self. I was so preoccupied last week watching for sign ups for the free class, and then quite panicked right before the class itself as I waited for people to join the Zoom. In the end it was a good group and such a nice experience. I am VERY proud of myself. This was way out of my comfort zone.
Next week I am starting to teach the full course again. As of now, the group is small and mostly free again (teehee), i.e. mostly loved ones, BUT I was absolutely determined to run the group as scheduled and so I am forging ahead and giving the course. Of course between now and Sunday night, the group can grow, but I have truly put in a lot of effort to share what I have to offer and now I am giving it to Hashem to determine how that will happen.
So, this was the main project of the week. But there were still some other things going on.
One night this week, my sister took me to see a comedian she likes – this type of activity is actually not my typical, but my cousin who was going to go with my sister wasn’t feeling well and her spot was available. This was a fun experience for me not least because I feel like I got another window into my sister’s world. After the show, my sister showed me how sometimes kosher restaurants on UberEats have 2-for-1 deals, and if you choose pick up, you can get a really great deal. We ended up ordering shawarma and getting two for $24 which is great, especially for Manhattan. So we got home from the city around 11.
The next evening, I went to a dinner at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. This was an interesting experience. I felt very fancy to be at a dressed-up event in a museum after hours. The meal was so nice. A woman who survived the Holocaust as a hidden child in the south of France spoke about her story. When I went up to talk to her afterwards, I told her I was hoping to go to the south of France and she was so nice and told me to have a great time, and where I should go. It was really all so lovely. The event also gave me a wide window into the world of secular mingling etc. and what can I say, you can take the girl out of Bais Yaakov but you can’t…In any event, I learned that I am actually glad to be looking for a husband within the shidduch system. I could not imagine having to put myself out there all the time to try to meet people.
I saw the Denmark exhibit at the museum before the dinner, which was so moving.
Reading: I have picked up lots of books recently but haven’t made much headway on any one of them. I am enjoying The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel, though. This topic (intentionality around using your resources) really speaks to me!
Have a warm and restful Shabbos!
(Photo credit: Vie Studio/Pexels)
