Throughout my life, I have always been very lucky to have found – or have been found by – very steadfast and resolute friends – a special and supportive sisterhood of women who have gotten me through more than one tough time.  They are not always the same.  Some have been there and then moved on.  Some have moved in and out of my life at different times but always seem to be there when I need them.  And some have remained with me, day in and day out of life.  They all have left an indelible mark on my life and will always be part of my sisterhood.

Whatever their longevity they have each served a special purpose giving me exactly what I might need at the time.  I have always believed that you bring the people you need most to you when you need them.  In other words,your vibe attracts your tribe. This has proven true for me time and time again.

The past few years have brought some new blood to my sisterhood.  Great friends who are now part of a tribe I love and appreciate more than ever.  I think it is fair to say that as I get older, I realize more and more how important my tribe is to me.  Without them, I would most certainly be lost.  Here’s a quick thank you list:  MJ, Carol, Beth, Brenda, Jen, Deb, Allison, Cindy, ML and Ellen.  There are more of course, but these women, yes they are all women (my apologies to any boys who might be reading this post), seem to be spinning their own particular brand of magic around me most days right now.  A magic that grounds me to the earth and helps me to turn fear into faith.  For this, I could not be more grateful.

Each of these special souls brings their own lovely brand of support and friendship.  Some bring it with humor, some are fellow criers, some are super smart and thoughtful and some are best at slapping me around when I most need it.  They each provide a different lifeline.   And collectively there is no doubt that they are absolutely indispensable to me and I truly hope that I give them at least a tiny bit of the same level of support and love when they need it.

Lately, two of these women, in particular, have brought a little something extra to this Kitchen Table – that is, much of their advice, love, and insight are grounded in some way in Jewish culture. . . .  @jensebeny and @debklein.  Some of you may have read my earlier post about L’chiam and the significance of the number 18.  If not, you can read it here:  “18”.   That was just one example of what these two women have added to my life and I will be forever grateful to them both for the truth that was born in me from this single notion.

Recently, however, something else happened.  Something that I can’t quite articulate but that has really influenced me.  One of these women was traveling to Israel to celebrate her son’s bah mitzvah.  She had an incredible schedule for her guests, a schedule that included an amazing list of places to see and experience.  One of those places was the Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem.  In case you are not familiar with this ancient monument, the Wailing Wall is considered to be one of the holiest sites in the world.  It is the only remnant of the holy edifice that stood on the Temple Mount.  It is referred to as the “place of weeping” because people came to the Wall to weep for the Temple after it was destroyed.  It is still considered to be the holiest sanctuary in Judaism and is where people, of all faiths, turn during prayer.  Because this is such holy ground, people who are not present at the Wall often deliver a prayer in the form of a note and ask that it be placed in the Wall for recognition by whatever greater force they believe in.

Before my friend left on her trip, she asked me if I wanted her to place a prayer in the Wall.  She knows that life has been complicated and difficult for me lately.  In her supportive and loving way, she explained the Wailing Wall and its significance to the Jewish faith.  I think her words went something like this . . . .  “This Wall is a sacred space where people of all faiths leave a small prayer or call for help from whoever their God might be.  If you want I will place one there from you.” Anyone who knows me knows that I will jump at the chance to reach out for help from any force of life much larger and more significant than me.  So naturally, I said, “Hell yes, that would be fantastic“. 

It took me a bit of time to write my prayer.  I wasn’t exactly sure of what I really needed or what I could legitimately ask for.  I was pretty sure that a speeding up of time was not on the list of prayers granted.  But after some introspection, I wrote a short prayer and handed it over.  A few days later off they went on their great adventure to the land of faith.

Another friend attended the bah mitzvah as well.  On the day they reached the Wailing Wall, they took a photo of placing my prayer in the wall and immediately sent it to me.    I know that this will sound silly or ridiculous to some but when I looked at that photo I felt some tiny bit of relief and peace.  Maybe it was that the note was now in place for whatever force there might be watching over me or maybe it was the support and love I felt watching these special sisters of mine doing something so significant and with such love for me.  Either way, it was a warm and strong feeling of being protected and safe.  I will never forget that feeling and will always be so grateful to these beautiful souls for giving that to me.

I am so thankful to have my tribe of sisters – they are priceless to me.  I know that there are most assuredly more tough times ahead.  But knowing that these women and I have each other’s back somehow makes almost anything bearable.  If you don’t have a tribe, I say find one and in the words of @jensebeny, love them hard.

xo