PotLucky

Last night I got potlucky! This post has nothing to do with either weed or hooking up ( getting lucky). Rather I feel excited to describe my experience at my first potluck gathering at my new congregation. It is to celebrate Sukkot and was held at the Rabbi’s home, not far from my own. Sukkot is a harvest festival and also celebrates the Jews’ protection as they left Egypt. Honestly I have heard the name but had no idea what it meant. My rebooting of Judaism is a masterclass in ignorance. In some ways it reminds me of when I decided to pivot to Addictions as a career path and took a position at an inpatient rehab center. I felt like an imposter and often felt very awkward and vulnerable. In this case I feel more awkward as I hear prayers and songs in a language I do not understand. And yet in both examples, I carried on.

Per my usual, I strongly considered not going as the time of the party got closer. I felt anxious and lacked motivation. But I reminded myself I felt the same way before attending my first  in-person service a few weeks ago. So off I went to a new adventure. Unlike at the service, this time I knew no one other than the Rabbi ( and I barely know him at this point. ). My memory harkened back to October of 2002 when I ventured alone to my first meeting for worship at Chestnut Hill Meeting. There I knew absolutely no one except that one my friends knew someone who worshipped there. My journey in Quakerism is fascinating and I hope to get it written in divine timing.

But back to last night….

All new members or prospective  members were invited so I knew this could be a great chance to make some connections. But believe it or not, I am quite shy in these settings. I went to a table that was empty but had some seats reserved and sat down at the left end ( a lefty’s preferred position) and began to eat. I have been to numerous potlucks and typically am not  a fan. I am a picky eater and now with my dietary restrictions it can get messy. But the food was good and it was fun eating outside. The man who sat down next to me was with his family ( including 2 little girls). I  liked his energy and his long hair. Before long he mentioned Phish on his own, which led me to ask if he liked the Grateful Dead. Of course he did and we quickly bonded. A young tween was also at the table with her mom. She decided on her own to seek out our congregation. I was impressed by this and she was lovely. Later I met a man who like myself, had left his faith many years ago. The conversation got deep and he shared a mystical experience that led him back to his faith. While talking with him it became obvious that this is where I am supposed to be ( for now. ) The mystical seems to be very evident with the community and in the Rabbi’s approach.

I went to the potluck with few expectations. I was finding myself worried about acting the right way at the Rabbi’s home but he is incredibly unpretentious. We are contemporaries as we are about the same age and that makes a difference. Apparently he can cook because his offering was an amazing yummy whole salmon. So that is where he and I part ways, lol!  While the evening was not one huge synchronicity, many moments were so easy and full of resonance. Part of the vibe also came from the neighborhood.  West Mount Airy is bordering my hood and is filled with progressive people. It is incredibly diverse, very Jewish , LBGTQ friendly, and politically a place Bernie Sanders would enjoy. So kale salad and recycling and vegan offerings is part of the fabric. It is also similar to my home turf, with tons of trees and creatures.  I immediately thought of Rita who lived just a few blocks away. I wondered if she was a practicing Jew and if she was part of a congregation. I guess I will never know. Nevertheless I sensed her energy. I think she would have enjoyed this mix of people.

I recently learned at ancestry.com that I score high on the trait of risk taking. It states I embody this more than 80% of the population. While I am not sure I am a huge risk taker, and ancestry.com has been dead wrong on some of the other traits, I agree with them in general. While it does not operate in every case, I will be bold at times and have gotten feedback to support this claim. I go to many places alone and this is bold behavior. It was bold to join a synagogue as a very latent Jew who does not know Hebrew or much else beyond the most mainstream holidays.  I do hope that going forward I will feel less alone regarding my new spiritual family. It is beginning to take shape nicely. My intuitions about this community apparently was spot on and that lets me know my “team” approves ( and maybe orchestrated this. ) I also am very aware, as I later saw in my Quaker journey, that my connection to Spirit is too large to be compartmentalized into a name, place, or organized structure. I am guessing that something deep within brought me here and that it was/is part of my between life plan.

May all enjoy the harvest of their souls.

header image courtesy of Pexels.com