Hineni – delighting in the wind that guides my steps on walking paths and at the beaches, moving me forward as I refresh mind, body and spirit.
Hineni – experiencing summer’s offerings, pleasured by the continual growth and colorful beauty in my gardens, encouraging me to l’sim lev, to place my heart, on nature’s abundance and the many wonders of life.
Hineni – continuing to practice expanding from those narrow places within me, to calm those parts yearning for solace, for compassion, for understanding and always envisioning hope.
Hineni – turning to more openness, choosing softness and restraint in place of anger and despair, growing closer to the slow but steady evolving of the spirit.
Hineni – embracing my adorable, ever changing grandkids who enchant me with their precious voices and clever words and expressions, moving around with lively movements and joyfulness.
Hineni – feeling grateful for my children and their spouses with whom I treasure many meaningful shared times as well as some sadness, learning from their wisdoms and their struggles.
Hineni – enjoying my life’s partner of 50 years, fortunate beyond words for our holding each other close, loving our many light moments as well as the relief during the dark times through our loving care.
Hineini – cherishing close friends and family members with whom I share reciprocal loving relating, creative interests, trust and affection over time and distance.
Hineini – being moved to tears listening to Jewish prayerful songs both in synagogues and on Zoom with deeply spiritual and uplifting melodies that envelop me with heart opening sweetness.
Hineini – experiencing poetry, nurtured by participating in classes hearing outstanding and strong Jewish American poets as well as other published and unpublished poets that I am enjoying so fully.
Hineini – contributing my time and healing as I serve vulnerable community members looking to regain some part of their fullness amidst life’s assaults and tribulations – those who are in prison and others unhoused locally, both groups longing for connection and affirmation that their lives matter.
Hineni – building strength, energy and resilience as I join others to help repair the tragic realities in Israel and in our own back yards these past years.
Hineni – struggling to envision even a “fragile peace” with true justice for all peoples.
HINENI – employing words that reflect my best intentions to prepare me for the months and years ahead to pursue these heartfelt goals with love, kindness and interconnection in all of my encounters.
Ken Yehi Ratzon, may it be so.
This poem was generated in Ritualwell’s “Sacred Words for a Fragile Democracy: A Jewish Creative Writing Lab,” July 2026
