11 things during Sukkot
October 4, 2020
Day 194
1. It has been a while since I wrote 11 things.
2. Mani lovingly teases me when I start a sentence with the words, "It has been a while since..." Often this sentence ends with "I had a big cry" or "I slept in that late," and we joke about what constitues "a while" since in truth, not all that much time passes between crying and sleeping in.
3. So to that logic, it probably hasn't been very long since I wrote 11 things.
4. Today I got to eat lunch in a sukkah. Here's the Wikipedia definition: "A sukkah or succah is a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. It is topped with branches and often well decorated with autumnal, harvest or Judaic themes."
5. Sukkot is a harvest festival, and we are commanded to spend time in a sukkah, enjoying meals, the company of friends and family, and -- for the hard core, even sleeping outside beneath the stars. The whole idea is that we experience the fragility of the dwelling place, our connection to the elements, earth, and nature, and how even on a very long, arduous journey with no certain timeline or outcome, we can and must stop to rest, to eat, to sing, to simply be. We cannot rely on the certainty of a roof over our heads; we cannot know what tomorrow will bring. As with all Jewish holidays, it's rich with symbolism and also has a strong experiential component. Plus, everything always tastes better outside.
6. Coparenting in a pandemic takes humility, integrity, perseverance, commitment, patience, clarity, communication, and flexibility. This shit isn’t easy! Deep empathy for all of the parents who are doing their best to navigate uncharted waters here.
7. My body has been tired the past week or so. I think it might have something to do with the 39 miles I ran the week before during the Womxn Run the Vote relay. Whatever the reason, I've been taking it easy -- fewer miles, much slower pace, slightly cranky knees.
8. Yesterday's run took me past a farm. I literally watched the sheep go out to pasture. It was the most fun I've had in ages.
9. Well, that's not completely true, but I will let some things remain private.
10. I sold my 10-year-old stick shift last week, and bought a new car. It's a hybrid. I'm not used to all that fancy-schmancy stuff. At one point, the key fob wouldn't work to lock the doors. I called my guy and he did some trouble shooting with me over the phone, but nothing worked. Finally, he asked, "Jena, is the car still running?" Oh! You actually have to push the button to turn it off. Who knew?
11. I'm trying not to obsessively refresh the New York Times homepage to see if the big headline has changed.
The practice of writing 11 things originated out of my birth time, which is 11:11, and my interest in sitting down to write without pressuring myself to come up with something amazeballs every time. An alternative to setting a timer and freewriting, writing "elevens" offers just enough structure to give you something to hold onto while also being completely open-ended as to what you write.
At a time when we are so utterly overwhelmed, saturated, and, quite frankly, fried, writing at all can feel impossible. But writing 11s -- it is always doable. It's a way in. And there is no way to do it wrong.
Join me November 11-21 in a secret Facebook group, where participants will write 11 things everyday for 11 days. Come see for yourself how freeing and meaningful this practice can be.
The cost is $111 for the group, and there are now 8 spots left. If you need financial assistance, I always offer at least one scholarship.