I know that it's been awhile since I last posted, but it's been a busy couple of months. The holidays, then the hurricane in New York City, lots of things were taking up my time. During this time, there was a lot of travelling happening: travelling to visit family for the holidays, travelling to prepare for the hurricane, travelling to escape the storm (luckily, I just went down the street to weather the storm with a friend, but i was okay the whole time), travelling to parts of the city and beyond to help post-hurricane.
During the last couple of parshiot in the Torah, we read the stories of our ancestors' travels. Avraham and Sarah traveled from their home to the land of Canaan. God promised them descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Then, Rebecca traveled from her home to the land of Canaan to marry Yitzchak. When they had trouble having children, she prayed to God, asking for children. Then, low and behold, she becomes pregnant with twins! In this coming Parsha Toldot, Jacob begins his journey away from his twin brother and home. He follows the stars along his long journey in the desert.
I was thinking about the idea of stars and what they represent to many. For some, stars represent guidance in direction. People used to depend on following the stars in their travels, so the stars in a way guide us when we are lost in our way. Even Peter Pan used the stars for direction to Never Never Land: "First star to the right and straight on 'til morning". For some, stars represent a hope for the future, a light in the darkness perhaps? Maybe that is why so many New Yorkers are cynical, not enough stars are seen in the skies...;)
But, I wonder if perhaps if stars are also a reminder of the past as a way of guiding us to our future? I'm reminded of a quote from a father lion to his little cub in the movie The Lion King: "Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars....so whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I." That idea of having faith that it will be okay, even in the night, while traveling or through the storms, is a powerful and warm thought that I think we can all use during these weeks of dark and starry nights. Let us all focus on the stars in the skies and in our cocktails, keep having faith, and stay warm during this wintery Hebrew month of Kislev.
Here is a recipe for a Star Cocktail:
Stars in your Eyes and in the Skies
2 shots of vodka
1 shot of Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 tablespoon of orange juice
Fill the rest of the glass with pear juice. Stir with a teaspoon or stir stick.
Add a slice of star fruit.
Sip and enjoy!
