I Live in Community and Reside in My Home!
Mitzvah Day 2023 Brings My Communities Together!
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 6 seconds“The goals today are to clean the branches from and near the path and plant some pansies,” Ellen, the President of the Hanson Park Conservancy, announced as Jan’s Wind Sculpture spun rapidly. I quickly pulled out the new wheelbarrows and joined one of the teams to pick up branches while another team prepared to plant the pansies.
It was heartening to see three of the many communities I belong to working together to make this year’s Mitzvah Day a success. My involvement in these communities strengthens and helps me survive my grief journey. It was a beautiful day, and I felt grateful to be part of the efforts of Temple Sha’arey Shalom, Hanson Park Conservancy, Cranford, my hometown, and my neighbors, all working together towards a common goal.
As we worked, Ellen explained that we would need to rebuild the frames for the garden plots, and if this year’s experiment works well, we will expand the space for community gardens next year. It was great to see how these communities seamlessly moved between each other, and I made a mental note to connect Ellen with my neighbor, who wants one of the plots. “Make sure you connect me with your neighbor who wants one of the plots,” Ellen reminded me.
As Charlie Padavano says to Sylvie, one of his daughters, in Hello Beautiful, “We’re separated from the world by our own edges. We’re all interconnected, and when you see that, you see how beautiful life is.”
As a widow, it is sometimes difficult for me to appreciate the beauty of life without my beloved partner, Jan. However, I am learning to take things one day at a time and embrace life to the fullest. Although Jan’s loss can never be replaced, I feel fortunate to have a supportive network that allows me to keep her spirit alive and share her love with others.
We can face life alone in fear or unite and support one another. For me, living interdependently in multiple communities has helped manage my grief.
The Jan Lilien Education Fund sponsors ongoing sustainability and environmental awareness programs. Gifts made this month; I will match dollar-for-dollar. All donations are tax-deductible.
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On Sunday, May 15, 2022, members of Temple Sha'arey Shalom participated in the MetroWest Federation Mitzvah Day at Hanson Park in Cranford, NJ.
Hanson Park is the same park where Jan's Memorial Triangle Garden, benches, and the Education Fund will sponsor ongoing sustainability and environmental awareness programs.
