One-legged I stand beside my inner river, feeling joy, fear, inspiration. Purim. Starting the trial. Writing.<\/p>\n One brief shining\u00a0 Life pushes things together: Warren’s sister dies. We celebrate Purim.\u00a0 Explosions wrack the Middle East.\u00a0 Iranians die. Dawn comes to Shadow Mountain. YHWH echad.<\/p>\n Shadow Mountain continues its snowless winter.<\/p>\n Trump strikes Iran. Executive power abused as royal decree.\u00a0 He uses, like the neo-royalist he is, American fighter jets and bombers, aircraft carriers, to enforce his personal grievances. No checks. No balances. The sound of bombs shattering ears.<\/p>\n My brother, Mark, in Hafar, Saudi Arabia, lives 156 miles from Iran. Just across the Persian Gulf. He says there are no military targets nearby.<\/p>\n A similar situation. In 2005 I helped Joseph move. Late August. While we carried boxes into his Breckenridge apartment at 9,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. I felt lucky. 9,000 feet above sea level. In the heart of the continent. Lucky and a bit, what? Guilty. Privileged. Distant.<\/p>\n Close. Yet. Unaffected.<\/p>\n This sabbath I write at my own mountain retreat. Far from D.C. Far from the Persian Gulf.\u00a0 In my country’s name ordnance falls from the sky. Persians seek shelter in Tehran. Jews seek shelter in Tel Aviv. Jerusalem.<\/p>\n I seek shelter. From my own government. Find it in the One.<\/p>\n Warren’s family grieves. His sister died this week. Pneumonia. MS. A creative heart stilled. I’m far from that, too. St. Paul.<\/p>\n This Monday evening. Purim. Drink until you can’t tell the difference between Haman and Esther. A celebration of a female hero who stood up to Haman, the Persian royal vizier\u00a0who would destroy the Jews.<\/p>\n Kate loved dressing up for Purim. She would wear a coat she made for Joseph, a coat of many colors, and a floppy hat. Our first Purim at Congregation Beth Evergreen, 2016, my mouth dropped open.<\/p>\n Dan Herman, then president of the board, came in carrying a case of beer on his shoulder. Others brought several bottles of wine. A bar in the sanctuary. All through the service congregants would go to the bar for another beer or more wine.<\/p>\n Groggers, noise makers, sounded every time Haman’s name came up in the megillah, the scroll of Esther. Their grating sound joined with boo’s.<\/p>\n This sabbath, this Rocky Mountain day, I watch the candle burn. Will study Torah at 10. Relax.<\/p>\n Persia. Iran. Jews. A long, long story.<\/p>\n Mark teaches English to young Arab men. Close. Yet. Unaffected.<\/p>\n A scribe adds to the scroll.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Imbolc and the Moon of Tides Shabbat gratefuls: Class with Jamie and Luke. Cardio. A transformation grid. Shadow, a sweet girl. Iran. Israel. Gaza. The West Bank. War and peace. Rene Good. Alex Pretti. Say their names. Sparks of Joy and Awe:\u00a0 The Night Sky Week Kavannah:\u00a0 \u00a0Yetziratiut. Creativity.\u00a0 \u00a0Feedback on my new writing … Continue reading Close. Yet. Unaffected.<\/span> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/The-King-of-Vessels.jpg\")
<\/a>Tarot: King of Vessels, Heron<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n