Horton the Elephant

As I sit on my bed and read to my parts,

Little and big, with all kinds of hearts,

I see a lesson we should all be hearing,

About how to care in a way that is caring.

In Whoville the Whos are so small and so tiny,

They're asking for help in a way that's not whiny.

Only Horton can hear them, he doesn't give in,

Though other animals find that their patience is thin.

Horton keeps at it, with this little saying,

The animals listen, their minds end up swaying,

"I'll just have to save him. Because, after all,

A person's a person, no matter how small."

Abuse can happen in any kind of place,

It doesn't discriminate based on religion or race.

Do we listen to the children, no matter how small?

Are we like Horton? Do we give it our all?

The children are crying, through voice and behavior,

Looking for a Horton to come be their savior.

Do we say "he is lying! He's just a big bum!"

"She's looking to place blame on someone!"

Or are we like Horton, who hears the little Who?

Do we say "I'm so sorry this happened to you!"

Do we find some way, however big or little,

Or do we blame them, for blowing the whistle?

Art Therapy

When people hear I'm in art therapy, they sometimes think I'm "taking the easy way out." After all, how hard can it be to paint, draw, cut and paste?

In reality, a good art therapist doesn't do just that. Sure, I do some form of art every session. But we also talk about what I'm thinking and feeling while I paint that picture, or cut out that picture from a magazine. We also discuss everything about my life-just as one might in any other form of therapy. My therapist has many techniques in her arsenal-we use CBT, DBT, play therapy, and EMDR techniques. We figure out where I need more help, where I can use some new skills, and of course, how far I've come.

So yeah, I'll take the magazines, scissors and glue, the pastels, paints, and brushes. I'm making art to grow.

What Kind of Jew Are You?

Today, someone asked me how I identify as a Jew. Am I Orthodox., Modern Orthodox...

I came up with a new Jewish group:

I am a Growing and Changing Every Day Jew