The red flowers outside my window are more than just a scene; they are my dream. Ask my sisters, and they will tell you that all I want is my physical space filled with natural light in a beautiful organic setting.

I noticed them first on Shabbat, even though they are to my right and left each time I enter and exit my house all week long.

It took Shabbat to get me to notice them.

Shabbat is the day when we disconnect from theMy undistracted brain begins to coalesce bigger world to reconnect with our inner world. With family. With community. With G‑d and the Torah.

Shabbat is so effective for me that my undistracted brain begins to coalesce in imaginative ideas and beautiful prose. On Shabbat, I am aware of what is going on around me more internally. I feel the vibrations of each family member packed into the kitchen, lounging in the living room and gathered in the dining room.

I see the flowers. The window frames’ red Camellias. They are directly in my vision across from my favorite position on the couch. I never quite noticed them this way. I sit with their beauty. I let everyone around me know I am bathing in their crimson glow.

But once Shabbat leaves, everything captured and processed leaves me in seconds, like a vacuum, as I am sucked back into the weekday chaos.

When I manage a moment of awareness, I try to recall the time born of restfulness. I seldom can. I didn’t want to forget this scene outside my window, but I did until it was almost too late. The flowers are slowly falling off, one by one.

It’s not just on Shabbat; G‑d wants to be present in our surroundings at all times.

At the beginning of the Torah portion of Terumah, G‑d says: “Make for Me a mikdash, a holy space, and I will dwell within you.”

Within me? Isn’t the Tabernacle a physical space we build? Should G‑d not dwell within it?

It is both. When we build a tabernacle or holy space for G‑d, He dwells there but at the same time, I am asked to invite G‑d to live inside of me.

The events in our lives have underscored how important personal space is. Clean, organized, quiet, aesthetically pleasing are all things I need to feel comfortable.

What makes G‑d feel at home? How do I make sure He feels comfortable dwelling within me?

I start by noticing the beauty He provides.What makes G‑d feel at home? Once a week is not enough, though. It must happen on a daily basis.

And so, I slow down. I take in the scenes of my life and don’t take any of them for granted. I recognize that everything that happens to me is by Divine design.

I integrate my feelings of accomplishment with knowing He is guiding my steps. I merge my anxieties with awe of G‑d’s meticulous watching over me.

I elevate the mundane parts of my life in service of the Torah and mitzvot.

G‑d dwells within me.

I want flowers. He wants a spiritual garden.

I am placated. My dwelling is serene.

He deserves no less.