October 2003
Yom Kippur closing services had just ended. As we all walked out to the hall some refreshments were waiting for our “Break-fast.” This was one of the holidays that brought out everyone. Friends I hadn’t seen in a while were greeting me with New Year's blessings. On Rosh Hashanah God gave me the gift of a new job. I had been out of work for over nine months and this was the best New Year’s gift ever. The tension and intenseness I had been carrying within me these past months were now replaced with welcomed feelings of relief and joy. From the right of me I saw my friend Allen approaching and turned to greet him. “Michele, met Adele and Harry,” were the first words out of his mouth. I looked at the two sweet strangers standing in front of me as we exchanged greetings and warm smiles. There was a peaceful, happy atmosphere around the two of them and it wasn’t long before I felt comfortable talking with them. They each showed their great sense of humor right off. I’d like to think that, for one night, our laughter transformed three strangers into three friends.
The crowd was heading over to the synagogue to finish our breakfast with a light evening meal prepared by Ray. I asked Allen if they would be there as well, hoping I could spend more time with these sweet people. He shook his head with a yes gesture and added he thought they might. I mentioned how much I would enjoy seeing them again, said my good-byes, and made my way to my car. Once I arrived at the synagogue, I began engaging in several conversations with other friends. I looked for Allen, Adele, and Harry but sadly they were not to be found. I figured they might have decided to go elsewhere, and yet I waited a little longer. I finally decided to get in line for food, but still they hadn’t shown up. After getting my food, I started to sit down at a table by myself when several friends at another table insisted I come join them, and I took them up on their offer.
About five minutes into my dinner, the three of them came walking into the room. By this time our table of eight had already grown to a table of ten and was rather crowded. From what I could see as I looked about the room, they found other friends to eat with and were now absorbed in their own conversation. After dinner, I looked around the room and saw Allen had gotten up from their table and wander off to another table to visit, leaving Adele and Harry behind. I took the opportunity to go over and chat with them and again we hit it off quite well. Harry was joking with me and he and Adele began sharing themselves with me once more. It was a delight to listen to the two of them as we all laughed together. Every once in a while though, I was sensing that Adele seemed to be uncomfortable. When she finally started rubbing her neck, I asked if it was hurting. She told me she had pains in her neck often. I didn’t hesitate to offer to give her a short Reiki treatment. She knew what Reiki was and took me up on my offer immediately.
As we continued talking, the conversation shifted to energy -- my favorite subject! Adele asked me if I had ever seen four people pick up another person by just using their fingers? Well I hadn’t! She explained how it was all about energy and I became more intrigued. Without hesitation, this sweet little lady made a bold move to get four other people and show me how it was done! Well I was game just as long as I wasn’t the person being picked up! She got Allen, Harry, another man, and me for the people to lift the person, and Wendy for the person being lifted. Adele showed each of us how we would be placing our two index fingers together and our two thumbs together to form a small pyramid with our own hands. We would keep holding our hands this way as we would each place our hands under her arms and legs while she sat on the chair. She had Wendy sit on a chair and then one at a time each of the four of us who would be lifting her put our hands over her head; first our right hands in succession, then our left hands. Then, as quickly as we had put them over her head, Adele had us remove our hands in reverse order and then instructed us to lift Wendy up. With little effort we lifted her off the chair! I was shocked to feel and see how easy it was to lift someone with only our fingers braced by holding our thumbs together for support! Wendy smiled and reminded us of the phrase: “Stiff as a board, light as a feather.” Our little experiment brought the phrase to life in that moment! I hadn’t seen, much less participated in, something like this in a long time. But it wasn’t a parlor trick that you do with illusions; it was an energy theory that we were proving to be true. That kind of thing always did get me excited and now was no exception. I was laughing loud and long. If I hadn’t been a part of it myself I wouldn’t have believed it. I’m from the “show-me state” you know.
After that, Adele, Harry and I sat back down and began talking once more, laughing and sharing “being present” to each other in the moment. Such a precious moment at that! To be able to acknowledge and cherish moments like these shows me how truly blessed I am when they occur. They shared a part of who they were with me that night and I shared a part of who I was with them in turn. Adele wore a pin over her heart that one of her grandchildren made for her that was a silhouette of Harry. It really did look like Harry and I thought how cute it was and sweet to see a couple that were lucky to be together for the many years they had been. Allen was fifty-three so they had to be married at least that long.
As all good things do come to an end, so did my time spent with my two newfound friends. I’ll always be thankful to Adele and Harry for sharing a very special evening with me and I’m grateful for that unexpected, joy-filled evening with two people who started out strangers but ended up friends. They have given me a memory I will always cherish of one Yom Kippur evening and two dear, sweet people. And somehow I feel very blessed to have known them – if even for just one night!
Photo by Allen G. Arpadi
