Yom Kippur 2019: Gates

The Jewish "days of awe" that started ten days ago climax in a day of atonement, a time when I'm told the gates closed to the ancient temple's inner sanctum. As I told EfM fellows at our class Tuesday night, this mid-week holiday that virtually no one else around me shares gives me the world to myself. I've come to love riding my bike on the Silver Comet Trail, now partially covered in leaves, alone with my thoughts. This year, the gate to Fall was especially marked, as we've had the hottest September and October on record.  But suddenly, it was chilly.

This time, the ride was shorter because so many other things have been going on.

My left eye is recovering still from a partial cornea transplant last week, which has eliminated the clouded vision caused by Fuchs Syndrome, and has restored some sharp edges to things that I'd forgotten were there. My own reflection is something of a shock, as I see my skin and hair clearly for what must be the first time in decades.  It's as if I've been looking at analog TV all these years, and suddenly see HD.

I fought early morning traffic to make an 8 a.m. appointment at the veterinarian in Roswell. My lovely dog Brandy, languishing the past three weeks without play or exercise while heartworm treatment did its work in her bloodstream, had eight hours of tests and observation.

Leaving her there, I hurried back to pick up Mom for her eye procedure, an injection to prevent macular degeneration's progress.

The gate for the Yom Kippur ride, then, was narrow. But the sun warmed just in time, and I enjoyed an hour of brisk cycling, picked up Brandy, restored her to home, and moved on to choir.

Posts about Yom Kippur in other years:
• Dementia Diary: Closing a Gate(9.30.18)
  
• Cycling on Yom Kippur(10.13.16)