Key #1

I have a friend, Ms. Macknacracken, and she makes jewelry. For years, she has been known for her key jewelry: earrings, pendants, pins, even figures made from old skeleton keys. The "key people," as they are known, are meant to celebrate the "key people" in one's life. Nice, right?

Key #1 refers to things or people that are key to my life, my sanity, my well being at this junction in my life.

Well, as my current journey has taught me, I have some key people of my own. I may not call some of them my "best" friends (a term I think is best left to elementary school aged children), but I do like to call them "My Peeps." In no particular order: My Jenny, Red, Tha Doctah, My Favorite Local Celebrity (who is no longer a local celebrity, but Nurse Betty-in-Training), Ms. Macknacracken, My Favorite Shiska, Bersday Granddaughter, Fast Jessica, The Devil (who also no longer fits her original moniker- maybe I can call her The Clown Wrangler?), and of course, all of my virtual facebook friends.

Many of them do not know about what's going on in my life right now, nor do they need to. All they need to know is that I am grateful for their friendship.

I came across a Hebrew word this morning that is so perfect: AHAVA.

It means "love" in Hebrew, but it also means "I give." So when you speak of "ahava," and express "ahava" for someone, you are really saying that you are giving to that person, they are being given the gift of love. Giving is a condition that creates and sustains love.

I'll repeat that: Giving is a condition that creates and sustains love.

So to all My Peeps: ahava. And thank you.