A Prayer for Peace

"Today the world was born.  Today, every being in the the world stands in judgement.  Perhaps as children...  perhaps as servants..." This is the central meditation of the Rosh HaShana prayer service.  This is the heart of our prayers. We are all so very connected to each other.  And in our deepest hearts, we feel such a strong love for one another.  And all we each wish for is peace.  Joy.  Laughter.  Love. But sometimes the barriers get in the way.  Sometimes we become too stressed.  Sometimes we allow ourselves to become too cynical.  Sometimes we fall asleep at the wheel.  Sometimes we get too caught up in our own drama.  Sometimes we are just too shy... But now is the time to LOVE OUT LOUD.  Now is the time to SMILE OUT LOUD.  Now is the time to give those we appreciate a hug and a kind word, and to tell them how very much they mean to us.  Now is the time to do an extra good deed, even if it means going out of your way, or missing a 'seemingly important' deadline. There are harbingers of war in the world.  There are helpless children crying.  There are regimes that do not care for their citizens.  There are fellow human beings without hope. They are all part of our family.  We are all so infinitely and delicately connected.  And today the world was born... Please, turn on the lights of your love and your smile and your kindness as bright as you can right now!  Today!!  Tomorrow!!  This week!!  This month!! Because your smile and your single act of kindness is what the whole world has been waiting for. Attached please find this weeks Shu-Shine on the Torah portion of 'Netzavim' and for Rosh HaShana: "A Prayer for Peace". May we all be blessed to shine our inner light with blinding brightness, lighting up the lives of all those we love, and lighting up the entire world. With Love and a Smile, ~Shu