For as long as anyone could remember, Judy was running. At
school she would participate in the short dash, long run and
hurdles. Any opportunity to stretch her legs, and Judy was
literally in the run. As Judy grew older, the running became
only more intense. Endurance runs up hills and mountains,
city long marathons. As soon as her feet were properly shod,
hair tied up, the adrenalin would flow and Judy was ready to
fly. It wasn't only in her running that Judy showed herself
to be so energetic. It was her general approach to life. Any
activity, subject, business adventure, Judy would prepare
herself to her best abilities and then give it all her force.
She came out a winner virtually everywhere. People looked at
Judy with admiration. "She'll certainly go far in life," they
would say. "She is so driven, so motivated. She will
certainly do well for herself," they would all agree.
In all her being, Diane constantly felt the urge to create.
Sometimes you would find her sprawled on her bed, twirling
her long curls between her fingers, pen in hand, notebook in
front of her. Diane would be working on her latest poem
— or maybe it was a short story. Her mind was far away,
where only the whisper of her thought could reach.
At other times, Diane would sit on the front porch steps and
sketch the waning sunlight over the neighbors' houses. Diane
loved to work with her hands — to sculpt, carve, to
weave and stitch — anything to create. Her room was
full of pottery items,various crafts and paintings. She tried
many mediums to still that nagging urge to create.
Occasionally, Diane would take over the kitchen and come up
with an "original" meal.
Some people considered Diane a hopeless dreamer. They weren't
totally wrong either. Diane did dream —of using her
abilities and talents to create something greater than
herself. She just wasn't sure what it was. Simply put, Diane
sometimes felt empty inside.
Judy lived up to everyone's predictions. She quickly moved up
the corporate ladder. She made her presence known among her
peers with her quick thinking and decisive nature. At
business meetings all over the country, Judy found herself
meeting new and interesting people and always on the cutting
edge of society, whether it was technology or general trends.
And still always running.
A typical day might consist of an early morning flight to a
major metropolis. Business meetings, comparing data,
brainstorming and signing contracts. Judy would enjoy a
latish lunch at some upscale restaurant that had just opened.
Sometimes she would use it as an opportunity to meet with
previously made friends in the area, sometimes it would be a
business lunch with newly acquainted coworkers trying to
enlargen her prestige within her work-world.
Rarely did Judy dine alone. After a few more hours of intense
work and organizing her schedule, Judy would return to her
hotel room to freshen up and change her clothes. Then she'd
be off to the newest hit play or concert. Judy would make it
back to her hotel room to get some rest before her next early
morning flight.
Judy never forgot her passion for running. Whenever her
frantic schedule allowed, she'd get in a good run. As her
feet the pavement and her breathing fell into a perfect
rythm, Judy would use the time to plan out her next moves.
She wanted to always stay ahead of the game. Early morning,
late at night but always running. Judy was running so hard,
she didn't have time to feel the empty places inside of
her.
Diane remained quiet and dreamy. The empty spots she felt
left her in great pain until she learned to fill them with a
connection to G-d. Everyone still shakes their head at Diane-
now-Deena the dreamer. She no longer has time to twirl her
hair and write poetry, and besides, her hair is covered with
a sometimes lopsided scarf, pulled by an adorable one-year-
old. Deena no longer has any real interest to sculpt or
waterpaint. Sometimes, maybe, she'd like to sketch the sunset
over her beloved Jerusalem mountains, but for now, she guards
their vision in her heart and mind.
Deena is also surrounded by people — small people who
need her constant care and attention. One needs his nose
wiped, and another, her shoes tied; one needs her homework
checked, but most of all, they all need hugs and kisses and
love. Diane's heart absorbs them all. The empty spaces are no
longer felt.
Deena was driven to create, to mold — and creating she
does.
