Chanukah 2012

This year’s card invites us to consider the places of fire in our own lives.   Our fires are our passions—those things that inspire intensity deep in the belly of our souls. 

Some of us are ignited by a person such as a child or grandchild .   Or, it could be a humble hobby like carpentry, gardening or collecting buttons.  Maybe an idea such as advocating for social change inspires enthusiasm.   Perhaps imagining the sweet taste of achievement fuels us beyond our normal abilities: conquering the top of a mountain, the end of a long walk or run, or years of accumulation in our attic.

Consider the ability to show up day after day in order to tend to a loved one, offering unconditional affection and support during their final weeks or months.   Is it possible that this too is a quiet ferocity of willpower from the inferno of our personal value system?

What or where are your fires?   Can you sense the heated whimsy of the flames at certain times in your life?   Have you ever stopped and felt amazement about your own flashes of strength, power and determination? 

When we dance in our fires, dedication, devotion and commitment come effortlessly.  When we engage our passion, we can float along in the euphoric suspension of time, freed from the ordinary.  These are the moments when we are not merely breathing life into existence;  we are “blow torching,” baby!

As you blaze your way through the coming months and years, not only are you revealing brilliance in your own life, your inspiration can heat up those who are around you.  Even if you are only occasionally inspired, it is enough.  Remember, we are all watching you and cheering the force of your fire:  behold, a dragon among us!

We dedicate our card to the memory of our favorite dragon, Daniel’s father, Benjamin Schwimmer.  His fire has passed from  this physical world, yet still burns brightly in all the lives he touched.