The following poem, which we present with the permission of the author, is another in our series from a collection of poems written during or shortly after Israel’s Pillar of Defense operation. The entire collection may be found on the website of The Deronda Review (www.derondareview.org) under the title ‘Our Prayers for Israel.’”

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By Chaim Scheff

For mature/self-actualizing/sentient beings, there are only two substantially identical states of instant awareness; according to a G?D orientation and according to a Nature?Life orientation.    Traditionally, upon awakening, at the first instant when meta-consciousness (The Neshama) kicks in, even before eyes open and the body begins the turn from horizontal to vertical, the mind acknowledges that life has been restored for another day and therewith that G?D seems to have great faith in this individual (EhMooNaSeCHA – Your Faith/Belief – in me!  – in me?); so the individual takes it as a day of opportunity to repay G?D for that faithfulness.    For those of the Nature?Life perspective, appreciating awakening is a greater-than-cosmic improbability that all of the biological life-systems’ chemical-reactions continue-to-combine to stay any obvious anti-life thermodynamic entropy-seeking cytoplasm-events – which IS mathematically equivalent to winning the impossible-odds lottery for another day-in-succession; deserving a day-long celebration of sharing thanks-for-life – as is customary for all who win the big super-lottery prize.    Behold, we all join in the spirit of renewed Joy-in-Life; and may G?D, Nature?Life, and Awareness-Energy continue to converge in each of us for the emanation of affirmations!