Everyone seems to know her and love her. She smiles sweetly and moves with the grace of a woman who has learned to love all the parts of herself.
It was not until she invited me to a Artist's Way writing group that she hosts at her house that I began to hear her stories. She talks of a traditional Jewish upbringing and a "normal" life up until her husband dies in the 1970's. Then she is off to India, Jamaica, and Indonesia. In California she rides the leading edge of the "new age" movement , hanging out at Esalen , taking dance classes with Gabielle Roth, and breathing classes.She is wealth of information from those years.She tells us to breath and vigorously rub our breasts to clear our lymph nodes because as she says," no one else will do that for you."
Today we all share our writings and she talks about her upcoming birthday at the end of the week.There will be a grand party at her house, but today she writes about her fear as well as her joy. Turning 90 brings up many emotions for her.
I have several older woman friends close to her age. These women are the ones that have inspired me for many years. I look to them to show me the way. How to step forward each day and live it to the fullest. How to cherish every moment of life and care for my body and mind into the wise years.
I feel women of this stature are the truest goddesses. They have lived beyond and through so much. They have been so many different faces of the Divine Feminine.
Rachel exemplifies this and yet........ there is fear. How many years will I have birthdays.
What can I realistically expect from my aging body. Am I living in the right place and is my life in order. All these things she contemplates and yet at the end of her writings she shares that she will just accept the days as they come no matter how many are remaining.
I wish I could say something wise and yet I know I am entering my aging years as well. I want to do that as gracefully as possible and the RARE RACHELS of the world show the way.
