Today’s HAWMC challenge is to select a theme song.

Here is my theme song. It’s an interesting choice for me, a fairly non-religious person, but somewhat spiritual I suppose. At least I believe in the power of internal thought to calm. I think we take meaning from events and use them to make sense of confusion.  Early on in the breast cancer adventure, I found myself sharing dates of importance with my mother’s experience of breast cancer more than 20 years ago. I wrote about that earlier – you can read it here….

https://3lainess.com/2011/01/24/one-of-those-twilight-zone-things/

I’ve been re-watching the TV series “The West Wing”, and there’s an episode where one of the characters is talking to his rabbi about the death penalty. In the background, a woman is singing a prayer, the “Hashkiveinu”.

It’s a beautiful prayer, asking for peace. Here is a link to the article where I found the text – there are many other links too…

http://www.beingjewish.org/magazine/winter2001/article5.html

“Hashkiveinu Adonai Elokeinu l’shalom,v’ha-amideinu malkeinu l’chayim. Ufros aleinu sukkat sh’lomecha.V’tahkneinu b’eitzah tovah mil’fanechah.V’hoshiyeinu l’mah-ahn Sh’mecha.  


Lay us down to sleep in peace,Eternal One,our God,and raise us up, our Ruling Source, to renewed life. Spread over us the shelter of Your peace. Set us aright with good counsel from Your holy Presence, and save us for the sake of Your Name. Shield us, remove from us any foe, plague, sword, famine,and woe. Remove any spiritual impediments, either from the past or the future, and shelter us in the shadow of Your wings. For You, O God, are a gracious and compassionate Ruling Force. Safeguard our coming and our going for life and peace from now to eternity.” 

Here’s a version from a shul in Pittsburgh. You can also find the West Wing clip –  episode 14, season 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l64fNfWKPjU&feature=related

I love the way the music sounds, mystical and minor, beautiful.  I love that it refers to a gracious and compassionate God, that it focuses on the present and asks for peace and rest.  And that’s something we can all use.