Leaving Exile and Returning Home: Pesach
A Crown/Corona of Thorns: Easter

Two very significant events in our history, celebrated around the world.

I wish you all a Blessed Pesach and a happy and meaningful Easter.

Over the last several days, it has struck me how much we use the words ‘war’, ‘fight’, ‘battle’, ‘strike’; ‘overcome’, ‘kill’; ‘threat’; ‘destroy’; ‘annihilate’; bomb; defeat; attack etc. To me it’s a little disturbing – language used invariably by those in power –

We can Fight the Good Fight, as others have before in striving for a better world. We can send love bombs out into the world. Before we overcome, we must go through. We can empathise with our doctors and nurses, the cleaners, the carers, all those who are in the frontline of this attack. We pledge them our co-operation and hope for resilience for them and us all.

We know that our world is likely to be irrevocably turned upside down in the near future and in the long term and indeed is, already.

We are all exposed to covid-19, it’s somewhere out there, who knows where, floating in the atmosphere in its grand impartiality … so we’re urged to stay at home, and follow best procedure for minimising exposure.

In this process there is I feel, another kind of exposure. The word ‘expose’ has many meanings. ‘Reveal’ is one of them. Uncover, show, display, disclose, manifest are others. Make (something) visible by exposure.

We’re aware of the underbelly that has been simmering for a long time and is now being exposed for what it is. Steps taken to redress the imbalance, whether by government, NGO’s, communities, individuals to assist with e.g. the homeless, those who don’t have food or money and no access to medicine or shelter.

We’re re-thinking and re-feeling; re-membering and dis-membering; re-evaluating; re-assessing with a fair amount of resistance thrown into the mix.

And while I have ongoing concerns of having freedoms taken away as a form of control I know that I must work within the system as we do battle.

Yet in this constriction there is also expansion, an apparently unlikely outcome as they appear to be in contradiction to each other. We’re almost forced to expand. Necessity is the Mother of Invention after all.

We can expose and expand ourselves to our higher aspirations … those which are profound and soulful and those which assume more meaning to us in these particular times. We can open up to love and care, for ourselves and our neighbour. We can open up to those deep and hidden golden parts of ourselves that are there, waiting to be invited in as a welcome guest into your house.

I ask myself in various sorts of ways, how much is enough? Is a more beautiful world possible? Will there be love and peace? Will there be co-operation in our co-existence? Will we grieve? Will we strive or aspire to a more equitable share of resources for all? Will Mother Nature appreciate our efforts at re-storing Her Beauty and Bounty and accept our profound sorrow for her suffering? In our isolation can we find togetherness? Can we extend ourselves in ways we never imagined? What can I do?

Rilke : Let me not squander the hour of my pain –

My son David is a musician. He’s been making videos over this last while which he puts up his FB and twitter page – he is in touch with the times. Many times they are humourous parodies yet with a serious underlying message. He uses music and his skills to his best ability and is thoroughly entertaining. The one below (no parody) is from a week or so ago, and his beautiful wife Jüte sings with him. The languages are English, Afrikaans and Zulu. It’s a ‘cover’ of the Irish Blessing and was made to honour the health care workers. (Sponsored by Adcock Ingram) 1min 33 secs

Thank you for reading. May this time of Easter and Pesach bring renewal in every way. May The Force be with you.

71 Comments on Pesach and Easter

  3. dear Susan,
    Thank you for this easter message .
    And coincidentally those very battle words again struck me too recently – I read an article that used them all in talking about a warehouse in Melbourne holding ventilators and protective gear – how easily smoothly and is it unwittingly that we turn to high drama war mode to describe our approach to life challenges.
    Perhaps it relates to our need for heroes / saviours, for the need to impress and extend our abilities to meet extraordinary circumstances or our desire to have control over our fates or is it just an outdated old habit?
    I feel sure that we are due a change in thinking in speech and in our hearts.
    Peace and well being to you and yours. love the song .
    xx

    • Thank you Sandra for coming by. Who knows where this road will lead us. It is such a complete upending of all that was. Hopefully Peace will reign over Power, may Love too rain down in bucketsful. So, stormy seas, now and up ahead. May you sail yours well and keep steady. xx

  4. I’m catching up — not much internet service where I am sheltering. Which has helped me think about what’s important, how much information do I really need each day, etc. I am now checking the news only once a week, and only the local infection/death rates to determine when it might be safe to venture to the food market (even with gloves and mask).

    I spent my holiday as the Lone Ranger, alone with mask in hand. Again aware of the importance of family and friends, missing them.

    Hoping for respite by mid-June…

  5. I must be honest, Susan, that I think the economic implications of this shutdown are going to be far more dire than the disease. We are going to have mass unemployment and starvation. Corporates are talking of salary cuts of up to 40% and putting employees on reduced hours. Shops are saying they need rental relief for 6 – 12 months which impacts on listed entities and banks. The foundation of our banking and financial systems are being destroyed and that can only cause calamity. People won’t be able to afford to continue to employ and pay domestic help and gardeners. People who earn living providing services like training, floral arrangements, catering, conferencing facilities, hotels, etc will have their services cut due to massive cost savings. Our shutdown is the strictest in the world and yet we have one of the most vulnerable economies. It doesn’t really make sense particularly in light of cramped accommodation and shared living experiences of a large section of our population.

    • The consequences are pretty dire I agree Robbie. Especially for those living in squalor as so many of our people do. It is all too horrible to contemplate but we must. All the fault lines are being exposed for what they are and have been for the last long while. Dipping into pensions? NOT good. Not continuing to bail out SAA and Eskom may be a good idea. As well as putting some of our politicians into orange onesies. Who knows when the the time may come come when we can smell the roses? We’re in for a lonnnggg ride – stay safe and well Robbie, thanks for coming by 🙂

  6. Thanks for always asking the questions of the spirit, Susan. We can envision the kind of world we want to live in going forward if we all ask ourselves the same. Happy Pesach! oxox

  7. Wonderful! Timely too, in our divisive pandemic climate. Great song from your son and wife. BTW: what you want to do when sharing a YouTube video is click on the share button and copy the URL there. In this case, all you need for the song is this: https://youtu.be/tNR4GmFkK4M

    • Thanks for coming by John – you put it so simply about clicking the youtube share button and copy the URL there … how I got it up this time without calling on my son (Mike:mikdog) is a miracle. He noted that in his brief response to this post! I hope you’re all well in the strange times.

        • Glad to hear you’re both ok. Here also thanks be. Practising social distancing very seriously. Early days yet for the whole country – some signs that the severe restrictions along with excellent medical officers researchers etc are mitigating the spread. But, early days yet.

  8. A beautiful post Susan. I, too, have been thinking about the powerfully negative language that is prevalent during this time, and wish to encourage people to be more mindful. You ask important questions, and I remain steadfastly hopeful – the best in us will rise and unite and contribute to create the more just, more equitable, more loving world we’ve so long dreamed about.

    Such a lovely song and tribute – thanks for sharing the video.

    Wishing you a holiday that renews and brings both inspiration and peace.

    • Thank you so much Deborah, your words are lovely – and yes, on the words we use, to be mindful. I am also hopeful, though Doubt has often played a large role in my life. But now I’m coming around to think/feel that Hope belongs in the field of infinite possibilities and that this is something to be mindful of, and this thus increases my Hope quotient!

      Have a lovely and blessed time and may you too be inspired and at peace. Thank you for your wishes.

  9. Hi Susan, Yes, “Crown/Corona.” I was not aware of the significance and meaning behind the name.

    A great deal of wisdom in this post. “…we must go through.” “We are all exposed to COVID-19…”. Very thought-provoking on the word “exposure.” “We’re almost forced to expand.”

    You remind me of a phrase that continues to surface for me ‘We have been preparing our entire lives for this moment.’

    The song brought tears to my eyes. I enjoy reading all of your posts, Susan. This one was extra special on many levels. Thank you! Take care and healthy wishes to you and your family.

    • Thanks Erica – that phrase ‘we have been preparing our entire lives for this moment’ – I think Maya Angelou or Dr Clarissa Estes? I remember feeling a sense of succour from the entire prose. It pops up from time to time .. something also at the end about stormy seas –

      How lovely that the song brought tears to your eyes. It’s so great when one feels moved in the depths in some way. Thank you for saying. I’ll let David & Jüte know.

      A blessed Easter to you and family – and all good wishes for care and protection.

  13. Beautiful heart warming post in these challenging times and a beautiful video that I so enjoyed on this humid morning here in our new home base of Mexico. As #coronarefugees we have had to move quickly and make decisions before borders closed and shut downs were enforced.

    The silver lining of all this is mother nature which has had a chance to heal and flourish without people polluting. Sadly of course once this is over, the globe will go back to the destructive ways we are all so accustomed to… but in the meantime wildlife and nature at large has a moment to breathe.

    Happy passover to you too…. albeit a very different night this year than any other.

    Peta

    • I agree Peta that the silver lining is in seeing Mother Nature returning to her glory. Hopefully we will have learned a valuable lesson from this all and use other ways of renewable energy, and learned much else besides.

      I’m glad to hear that you were safely able to leave before borders closed. I hope you find Mexico beautiful and replenishing and safe from the virus. I will go back and check your posts.

      I’m glad you enjoyed the video and a blessed Passover to you – a night as you say different to all others. And thank you for coming by.

  14. So beautiful, Susan, even through a cochlear implant. I love what you’ve exposed and your angle on this. It’s such an intense moment of exposure. People shower each other with both love and irritability. Some respond with tears and others with rage. The political and racial divisions in terms of who gets care and who doesn’t are with us more than ever–exposed and revealed. And I can do better at transforming anxiety to prayer and patience. The best way for me to do this is go outside and I’m always aware of the many people who don’t have a safe place to be outside. May we all be protected and safe. Thank you, again.

    I heard a funny video that reminded me of what families in quarantine might do. Your son might like it, too. It’s called The Family Lockdown Boogie. (They can’t get on each other’s nerves if they’re dancing constantly and the creator is good–3 minutes on youtube. Here’s the link or just go to youtube and search “Family Lockdown Boogie.”) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-ugfNXYcDg&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR30aOeGrg7JD5vW-BofarMKtT8hoA6uro8N3ZVhurwtfGc-JpY0hZ2qvL8

    • I loved the family lockdown boogie Elaine, thank you 🙂 I copied and pasted and sent to my two sons and myself – it’s a great idea to get dancing! And not to get on each others’ nerves! Starting to feel a little cabin-feverish even though I also enjoy being outdoors and have been spending time on the garden. If I wanted, I could walk to the shops for provisions but staying away, even with stores following precautions (allowing only a few into the store at a time, masks in place, spraying, etc) is the best advice. Self protection and others’ protection .. and so far, we have enough for our needs.

      Much is being exposed here in my country … all the fault-lines of inequality, political wrangling, but at the same time we see humanity in action, kindness and care for those in need and this is uplifting. May the time come when we can all be thankful that we had the fortitude to weather this storm. Stay safe and well Elaine and thank you for coming by.

  15. What beautiful voices and a gorgeous video, Susan. You must be very proud of your son and his wife. It is difficult to accept these restrictions, Susan. Knowing they are for the good of everyone helps but I do sometimes have difficulty trying to make sense of it all. The saying that seems to be popular here is “We’re all in this together.” It has annoyed me because some people definitely aren’t in it yet. They don’t get it. I prefer the one used by Charli’s Keeweenaw community. They say, “Protect you. Protect me. Protect community.” I think that encourages ownership and responsibility and shows the reason for doing do. What is used over your way?
    Happy Easter times. May you find its joy in the darkness.

    • Thanks for coming by Norah. Yes, proud of Dave and Jüte 🙂 Here, we have far too many flouting the social distancing which clearly is representative of not being responsible to self and community. We use that phrase also – protect you, protect me, protect community which allows for ownership and responsibility as you say, or the Charli’s Keeweenaw community. I’ll pass that on to Davey – he’s putting out many videos these days from the safety of his home in Cape Town, with the message of we have to pull together, stay home. His last one which I saw this morning, is emphasising staying home.

      We’re not feeling cabin fever as yet. I haven’t left my home in about 2 weeks now, though I do want to slip out in my car and drop off some curtains to be used by the people who are making masks. Literally drop them off – I wonder if my car will start…

      Blessed Easter week to you too Norah ..

      • You numbers seem to be going quite well over there, Susan, even if some are flouting. We have increased restrictions this weekend, but our numbers are looking good too. I hope they stay that way and we might have some easing soon. I can’t wait to see my family again soon. We’ll be zooming tomorrow, which is good, but it’s not the same.
        Best wishes to you and yours. xx

        • Glad to hear your numbers are looking good Norah 🙂 Ours are too. There is some thought that vaccinations for prevention of TB (like MMR etc) MAY be a deterrent to the virus taking hold. By no means certain …

          I must still perfect the art of Zoom. So far Skype works for me. Enjoy your Zoom meet 🙂

          I feel this is still early days ..

          All best to you Norah and family 🙂 xx

          • Thank you, Susan. And to yours as well. It was just declared this afternoon that our schools will be closed for another five weeks (six including this holiday week). It’s a long time for everyone. I wouldn’t say I’ve perfected Zoom, but I’m learning. 🙂

            • On our side the lockdown is now until end April … and may well be extended for all we know … I’m about to attempt downloading Zoom, but meanwhile dear Norah here’s zooming in on you and sending you a huge hug xx

  16. Wishing you and your family a Blessed Pesach and Happy Easter too! Oh, I love the photo of the wooden cross with its barbed wire, crown of thorns. An image that many relate to during these self-isolating times as we wait for our individual and collective resurrection.

    As always, you ask all the important questions Susan! The world watches and waits. I’ve been enjoying David’s excellent videos these past weeks, most especially that soulful one you include here. What a beautiful, funny couple they are andboth incredibly talented too.
    Yesterday I came across this quote which seems timely and so fitting for this Easter Week:

    “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” Elisabeth Kühler-Ross, On Death and Dying

    Until we meet again my dear friend, may the God/dess hold you safe in the palm of their Divine hand. Sending you much love and light across the oceans between us, Deborah.

    • Thank you Deborah for coming by and for your quote by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, perfect for Easter week. I can only hope that we collectively come through these dark and difficult times, stronger in heart and mind, with those ‘…qualities of compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern’. Will it be so? It is certainly possible. The Feminine energies that are arising like the beautiful full moon last night, all over the world, even if obscured, will be beneficial to men and women. May we inspired by that shining light that the darkness reached towards.

      Love, light and joy to you dear Deborah, Susan

  17. Lovely video, Susan. Thank you for sharing with us. Wishing you peace of mind and sending much love in these very different and difficult times.

    • Thanks Silvia for coming by, glad you liked the video and thank you for your lovely good wishes. I wish the same for you in these strange times…

    • Thanks Donna! Glad you enjoyed the video. He keeps them coming believe me … if you access the kiffness on you tube you’ll find them. Plus his social activism posts on FB. One that pops up from time to time is the broccoli song, from about 10 years ago. (No broccoli was harmed in the making of that video) 🙂

      • I’m glad you found it so Jacqui thank you for coming by! He has a studio at his home in Cape Town so he has all the knobs and whistles or whatever they’re called ..

  20. It is amazing the power of words, the good and the damage they can do. I’m praying that at this time, people will realize the power of positive thoughts and words. Like David’s song is beautiful and loving. He and his wife, Jute, did a lovely job on it. Happy Easter to you and your family.

    • Thanks Gwynn for coming by. Yes, we can use more loving and affirmative words which go some real way to lessening the impact of habitual and destructive words. Like David & Jüte’s song, even if a cover of The Irish Blessing .. A blessed Easter to you too –

  21. Beautiful Susan – loved the video of your son singing too…Thank you for this….

    “We can expose and expand ourselves to our higher aspirations … those which are profound and soulful and those which assume more meaning to us in these particular times. We can open up to love and care, for ourselves and our neighbour. We can open up to those deep and hidden golden parts of ourselves that are there, waiting to be invited in as a welcome guest into your house. ”

    Blessings xx

    • Thank you Prem and glad you loved the video. I would have loved to have expanded and expounded a bit more of the rising of the feminine energies which will be felt by both men and women. Like the arising of the full moon tonight, shining her light onto all, even if she is obscured by clouds. Blessings to you too, thank you. xx

  22. The words I like most in your beautiful post: expansion, aspiration, and cooperation. I will share your talented son David’s video on my Facebook page. Such comfort!

    • I just saw NOW on FB that you shared it Marian thank you 🙂 and I’m glad you take comfort from it. Take care and keep well. Happy Easter 🙂

  25. Hi Susan – that was beautiful … such wonderful voices singing a glorious blessing. The words we hear are too overbearing or just wrong … we need the feminine turn of phrase … a gentler way … and let’s hope we have more thought about this in the future.

    Be peaceful and yes there are so many who are desperate now – we can all help a little in our small ways … the ripple will spread out. Take care at this time – Hilary

    • Wasn’t it lovely Hilary … in 3 of our languages singing that Blessing. I think now that you say the word ‘gentle’ that this is what also ‘struck’ me. And as Alethea says below, words have resonance and we must choose them with care.

      I am quite sure that the feminine energies are rising and that both men and women will feel their beneficence.

      Thank you for coming by, you too take great care. Extraordinary to hear about Boris Johnson being in ICU and glad that he’s on his way to recovery. All best, Susan

  27. What a lovely video. Thank you for sharing. <3 p.s. I agree, words matter. They carry a resonance that extends beyond their physical structure. It behooves us to choose each one with care.

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