Dear Reader,
What do you do when you just need a break? When you want a pause from your mundane routine? When life begins to feel a tad too tedious?
Here’s what I do.
If I’m in the mood for being physically healthy, I’ll go for a fast-paced walk. When I want to be emotionally connected, I’ll call a friend. If I want spiritual illumination, I’ll learn a Torah teaching.
And when I’m in a more frivolous mood and just need some mindless time out . . . I’ll go shopping.
I usually won’t buy anything big. Sometimes I won’t buy anything at all. Sometimes I’ll pick up a small gift, for myself or for someone important in my life. Or a pretty accessory for our home.
Just browsing and discovering something that can create more beauty in this world has a way of brightening the drudgery of my darkest and most dreary day.
For all shopping fans, this week Chana Rose explores Shopping for Meaning and discovers a higher Kabbalistic calling to those shopping sprees.
In How Your Home Décor Reflects Who You Are, we look at some gorgeous pictures of decorating trends, and how these reflect timeless Jewish values and teachings.
A couple of weeks ago we started a new series called Thoughtstream: Meditations for Women, in which Sara Blau provides short weekly calls for action. In this week’s meditation, Builders, she examines how to build greater beauty in our homes and relationships.
In our Jewish Law forum, Can I Donate My Kidney Against My Parent’s Wishes?, Yehudah Shurpin answers questions about donating a kidney—something that you can’t shop for in a mall!
And finally, in our Dear Rachel, Am I Overstaying My Welcome as a Shabbat Guest?, Rosally Saltsman shows how the greatest beauty we can bring into our homes is another.
Wishing you a week full of beauty.
And some fun shopping sprees.
Chana Weisberg,
Editor, TJW
