We are in Puerto Rico on a mission of self-care and book research. So many of those we love are declining in health and needing extra support right now, hopefully this trip will restock inner reserves. It’s fun re-learning how to be in the stormy tropics. We were about to leave San Juan for the village of Rincon, but the skies have opened yet again with a stupendous downpour. That said, we are learning how to be the wind, the colors, and the pure friendliness of the people here calls out one’s highest self.

Between squalls, our first two days hold colorful, joyful, serene moments with pure awe of nature swirling towards us from right inside the city of San Juan. Here is a creature we met, about 5″ x 2/3″ the only one of its kind that seemed to be about. The red part is it’s rear, it flickers as one approaches, the red rear leaps out at you to protect its vital head, the end with the black antenna is the head. No one seemed to know what type of moth or butterfly it will turn into.

Huge Caterpillar, we did not use magnification, this is same size image. San Juan, PR

In that same park were infinite pigeons, in fact they part is for them and dedicated to them as holy creatures. This somewhat mollified my discomfort when one spattered me utterly with her gift of presence. The sign says being so spattered means you have been blessed by G*d. Far be it for me to eschew a blessing. They even have an ancient dove cote built into the city wall, pigeon condos. The hope it seems is that by feeding and lodging them, they’ll stay home and leave the city statues alone.

The author Aryeh Kaplan, z”l describes a phenomenal state of consciousness in one of his books where from the compression of intense study and drive one reaches something new and worth all the physiological consequences of that time. This happened to me here on our first day here, a lucid dreaming that revealed what I’m supposed to write next as a serious work in my field. Within seconds of this awareness a huge rainbow appeared in the sky, kinda trite for that to happen. Still I’m (w)holy happy to know, living between assignments has an anxiety to it.

My sense is that nothing new pops under the sun at such times but rather is suis generis and arising in multiple persons since Creation seems to invest in multiple innovators for the sake of all.

By way of details for travelers we stayed at Guest House Nuevo Uno in Ocean Park, outside the city in a glorious safe neighborhood by the beach. Their restaurant Pamela is truly fine dining, they do fish in a caper butter that melts in your mouth, the roasted garlic to spread on bed in an additional garlic infusion is memorable and their pina coladas delivered to each guests private umbrella and lounge chair, perfect.

Thanksgiving appears to be modeled on the mitzvah of hakarat ha-tov, recognizing what’s good and pointing it out with gratitude. I’m not sure how, but I don’t recall it being mentioned when I went to Hebrew school in the 1960’s, that it is a Jewish spiritual practice to make a point, not just on Thanksgiving, but throughout every day, of seeing what is good around us and acknowledging it. Sounds simple enough, but isn’t always.

What a joy to be around folks who are naturals at seeing the good in the world. My mother, before Alzheimer’s erased her mind was such a deeply nice person. There’s a book I heard mentioned on NPR, The Power of Nice, have ordered a copy. Why dwell on this? Let me ask you a question, have you ever lost your power of nice? When does that happen to you? I mean other than during hormonally challenged times.

Last year, when a collision of responsibilities became overbearing, I hit the wall hard and fell into deep despair and exhaustion and wasn’t able to be sustainably nice somehow. Interesting to reflect on it now - too much work, too much multitasking, too many emotional issues with ill parents, sister with cancer, husband living in another city then. Too much makes for a less nice Goldie.

Only have had experience of this excruciating state of being once before, a few months after initiating divorce from my first husband. These experiences were both followed by a kind of therapeutic despair/depression that burns through resistance to needed change. Work changes, residency changes, eating and exercise changes, priority changes.

So grateful for the human capacity to go into dark nights of the soul and emerge into the light. Learned a lot. Life, keyn ayin harah, is good.

What a turkey I’d been, with no slur meant to these real turkeys I encountered in Costa Rica last year.

Just for now, life is so deeply good even with all the sad things still happening among friends, family and the world.

Meanwhile, we’re heading to visit all around Puerto Rico for three weeks soon and wondering if there are any Jews in Rincon with whom to celebrate Hanukkah? After Hubbatzin Barry took these pics in Costa Rica when we were there last year the furious turkeys eventually chased me up the fence of their corral and the farmer rescued me. Gotta love barnyard adventure! Turkey in Hebrew, fyi, is Hodu, which also means “praise”. Happy Holiday - Hodu LaShem