HOME & FAMILY

The hospital halls were subdued and serene. Shabbos had mastered the hustle and flurry of the week. Shoshi approached the emergency desk with her groaning husband. The nurse, without glancing up from the papers, pointed them to the plastic, orange chairs that lined the wall. Tamar, the nurse on duty, rushed from patient to patient, checking, questioning, measuring. She was kind to all, unruffled and collected, as her feet tripped across the tiled, sterile floors.

LIFE JOURNEYS: LESSONS FROM THE HEART
The Unborn Children
by Sara Gutfreund

She sits in the garden beside the stone wall. In the waning, summer light, the stones turn colors — muted yellow becomes brick red which slowly transforms into the palest of pinks. As twilight fills the sky, she re-arranges the balls of yarn that are stuffed into the straw basket on her lap. All afternoon she has been knitting a blue and white blanket for her new grandson. She stands now and inhales the scent of freshly cut grass rising from her lawn.

Sometimes It Does Make a Difference.
by Esther Leah Avner

"What are you going to wear for the visit? asked Rochel as we packed our weekend valises.

Parenting as a Relationship
by Sara Gutfreund

Many people refer to motherhood as a career. However, motherhood is primarily a relationship. How is my relationship with this child today? Is it distant? Is it warm? Or is it perhaps characterized by conflict? Taking that step back to look at your relationship with each child allows you to form a more objective picture of the myriad details of that day. However, once we see that overall perspective, it is important to delve into the particulars in order to improve the relationship.

KEEP SMILING
Inspirational pieces by the author of inspirational books, Avrohom Tzvi Schwartz

Only Guests

With our problems, our frustrations, our aspirations, we need to remember that we are only guests.

The Master Babysitter
by Bayla Gimmel

You all know the famous story of the Roman noblewoman who asked the rabbi what G-d has been doing since the creation of the world and the rabbi answered that the Ribbono Shel Olom has been making marriages.

LIFE JOURNEYS: LESSONS FROM THE HEART
If I Could Change Something . . .
by Sara Gutfreund

They sat in a semi-circle on the withering grass watching their children play in the harsh light of the early afternoon. The heat was rising around them in unforgiving swirls of dust. Their words and movements became slower as they wiped noses, filled sippy cups and mediated sand box fights. Suddenly, Shiroh looked up at the tired faces around her.

Good Intentions
by R. Chadshai

At every opportunity, Mr. Cohen points out one of his sons and informs the listener, "This is the sort of boy everybody prays for. He is exactly as we want him." Sometimes he brings home some little gift for this boy and as he hands it over in front of the other children, he says "This is for my little talmid chochom. See," he says, turning to the watching children, "anybody who learns diligently, like Yitzchok does, might also get a present."

Health Tips
by Dr. Reuven Bruner, Ph.D.

* Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. It strengthens almost every major organ in the body, promotes bone density, and boosts the immune system. It requires no special equipment, and just about anyone can do it. A brisk walk (covering about one mile [1.6 km.] in 12-15 minutes) can lower the risk of heart disease by as much as 30 percent according to some research. Aim for a pulse rate of 120 beats per minute.

Your Medical Questions Answered!
by Joseph B. Leibman, MD

Let us answer some letters.

1) Can autism be diagnosed before birth?

Autism is a disorder of neurological development. These children are characterized by three elements. First is poor social interaction. They often withdraw or eschew social interactions. We are not speaking about shyness, but rather failure to acknowledge other people. They have problems with communication.

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