May the new week come to us
For health, life and all good;
May it bring us sustenance, good tidings,
Deliverance and consolations.
—Woman’s Sabbath Prayer—
Our life constantly renews itself; we celebrate the new year, the new week, the new seasons. New babies, new jobs, new homes give us occasion for rejoicing; the ruins with old friends and family, the strengthening of old bonds, remind us of other cycles of renewal.
For some women, their menstrual cycle provides a silent rhythm of renewal. Some people chart their biorhythm, hoping to tap the ancient
springs of life-cycle energy that power the universe. Recovery from illness, completion of a long project, harvesting a garden, even making a new garment, remind us of our place in the long breathing rhythms of life.
When we are at the end of a cycle, we sometimes forget that renewal always comes. When our energy ebbs, when all the trees are bare, when any effort seems fruitless, we may believe that we have fallen out of pattern. “I’ll never smile again,” we think;”the sun’s gone out—nothing is worth while.” Depression for some of us is part of the cycle, and like hibernation or shedding of the foliage, it permits us to gather our strength for the next leap.
When things look bleak, I will remember that change and renewal are a law of life.