One of the traditions I have maintained and respected in our household is to have a traditional Friday night dinner. We started many years ago and maintained it through many milestones but as the kids got older, things changed somewhat. We missed many Fridays as a whole family, but Randy and I (and Layla of course) have tried to keep it up. I always loved watching Randy bring in the Sabbath because it reminded me of a comforting moment in my childhood when I watched my mother light the Shabbat candles. At dinner, the prayers, even though just minutes long, slowed down time for me and gave me comfort. I think we all loved it, though the kids wouldn’t admit it. It was definitely a positive staple in our home.

As it so happens, Michael is coming home from Pitt for the weekend, Jake is here and I’m home from treatments and feeling relatively strong today. Tonight we will pray and say the blessings and sing together.

I added my own prayer to add to the traditional Friday night ritual:

Dear Hashem, whatever you are and however you show up,

On this Friday night, I pray to you. Keep providing me the strength I need, both physically and emotionally, to persevere even through the toughest days. Bless and help the people responsible for my health to make me well.

Bless Randy and provide her with the love and peace she deserves. Help her see the ability in herself and guide her to her strengths and keep filling her with that optimistic love. Let her see her greatness.

Bless my children Jake and Michael. Provide them with the insight and courage to see for them that there is a lot of faith within all of us, and know they are on a journey full of great mystery and fulfillment and that we will always be a family unit together and forever.

Bless my family, my parents, my sister and my whole extended family. Bless my friends. Bless Layla.

Dear God that is within me. I pray tonight for all the cancer patients that I have crossed paths with at the hospital, many recovering and all in their own personal journey.. I pray for them.

Hashem, at this moment of prayer I cede control and trust in the forces of love and prayer as that they are heard.

Shabbat shalom.