Ring the Bells, in Your Jerusalem

By YVETTE NAHMIA-MESSINAS
It's a rainy Thursday night in Jerusalem. It is a cold, wet and windy end to the week, the last Thursday of December 2018. I get in a homey mood with warm socks and slippers on my feet, tea and chocolate by my side, eager to relax and decompress from another intense week. I play a Leonard Cohen Cd to slow me down, rhythmically.
What a year, I think to myself and open my journal to jot down the highs and lows of this year's journey.
A terrible year, I write, the year of my downfall/ crush/ a year MY EGO WAS BADLY BEATEN but also, a year that pushed me to the edge/opening my eyes to see that I was ego and goal driven.
This year taught me to surrender to life as it is, to live life fully in the moment and be grateful for all that I have rather than be focused on the next goal, the next achievement, the next mountaintop. No more climbing up to reach goals set by the ego; What a relief, so liberating!
This year's resolution is to LEARN TO FLOW AS THE SEA, and get in the mode of living in the now, in the process, trusting what is, enjoying what is and not constantly trying to have something else instead. Phew.
It feels as if ten kilos are lifted from my shoulders.
FLOW. This attitude brings in the magic. The magic is in the now, the magic is in being able to see what is, live what is and enjoy what is here now! When one is in an attitude of flow one senses the opportunities that life presents us with!
I was in such a flow mode at a Christmas concert at the YMCA five years ago. I was open to enjoy what was. At that concert, I heard for the first time the Jerusalem Youth Chorus (JYC) sing together in Arabic, Hebrew and English. I was so moved by their singing. Their performance touched a chord in me of how it was indeed possible for Jerusalemites of different faiths to come together in song! I spontaneously wrote to Micah Hendler the Chorus's Director on the next day saying how much their work moved me, and what would be the criteria for my daughter to be part of this group.
It is four years now that our eldest daughter is part of the Chorus so this Christmas Eve, we went once again to the concert which was a musical boost of spirit! At the end of the concert Gaby Shefler played the Carillon Bells in the YMCA tower. Everyone was happy and felt the joy flow in the crispy Jerusalem air.
At this time of the year's end I sense that we need to be ringing the bells. Not only to gather in joy and song united, but also for the bells to awaken us to the condition of others less fortunate; who live in distress, lack and suffering.
At this time, I am reminded of the lyrics of Leonard Cohen's Anthem, "Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There is a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in."
This year let us find the cracks. Look for cracks in ourselves, families, our schools and businesses. Locate the cracks in our cities, countries and ecosystems and do the work it takes for the light to get in. 
This coming year let us bring our individual lights to the fore. Let our lights shine strong to drive out the darkness. Ring the bells in your Jerusalem.
Do your share in the work for the bells to ring happily and in balance again!