The Color Goddess

People come, from near, from far.
They come by subway, taxi, car.
The cost is steep, but as they say...
"Sure, beauty has a price to pay."

And there upon her autumn throne,
She beckons women to her home.
With promises and hopeful dreams,
Of colored pallete dressing schemes.

They told me it would do me well
To have a spin on the color wheel.
"Consider it money well spent,"
They wished me luck and off I went.

~~~~

And so it was that fateful autumn day.
I found myself at Two Fairmont Avenue.
Hudson-on-Hastings, New York.

Feeling slightly curious, fairly excited, a tad selfish and generally pleased with myself for being able to afford the luxury of getting my colors done by the best in the east, I made my timid way to the door of the Color Goddess.

Jessica.

(applause)


We sat in that sun-filled room overlooking stunning autumn foliage.
Shelves of colorful fabrics lined the walls.
A desk.
A mirror.
A chair.

The process was actually quite fascinating.
The way she figures out your skin tones and hair tones with paints and brushes.
Followed by dress styles, house styles, hair styles, makeup.
What best suits you.
How to wear it.
How to walk.
Where to live.
What to buy.
My oh my.

And as she spoke her dear assistant scribbled furiously in her book.

"Take the scruffiness out of your dress...live in a place with lots of hills...lots of velvet...lots of roses...hydrangeas..." and on and on, the details of my perfect world.

~~~~~

An hour passed, then two or three.
Before the women could agree.
My colors, season, style of dress...
It adds up to a shepherdess!

~~~~~

Wow.
A summer shepherdess.
How do you like that!
Fascinating.
:)

Returning to my uncle's car (which i had left with the light on and burned out the battery thereby needing to be jumpstarted by some shady characters who appeared to live in their car) I started back towards home.

Driving...
Thinking...

Jessica lives tucked away in her perfect autumn setting.
Autumn leaves, autumn trees.
Peach walls, torquoise hallways.
Jade jewelry, orange blouses.

This is her life.

Surrounded by the things that make her beautiful and make her happy.

And indeed it is loverly.

~~~~

Sometimes we take for granted the lifestyles we are born into.
The families we were created with.
The values we were taught from birth.

Leaving Jessica I am hit with an appreciation for way we live.
I was always taught that we do not live for ourselves, but for others.
When someone goes on shlichus, they move to a town to spread the light of yiddishkeit in such and such place, not for the view from their window.

I start to feel some guilt.

What is this?
All this focus on me and what makes me look good and what makes me happy...
Summer shepherdess, summer shmepherdess.
Who needs it???

On the other hand this doesn't mean I shouldn't do things to make myself happy.
Or to look lovely.
:)
Just as long as I don't get too caught up in making my perfect world...

~~~~

My closet fills with the colors of my new pallette.

Dusty rose.
Muted teal.
Raisin.
Chocolate brown.

I'm looking better than ever.
(some dare to disagree) :)

And aside from the occasional pangs of guilt for this color fetish, my summer shepherdess persona slowly fades and I think I'm over it.

~~~~

Until one fine day in the middle of May.
(Adar didn't rhyme)


I'm in Tzfas, Ir Hakodesh.
We are learning a sicha on Parshas Mishpatim.
Rabbi Pasternak teaches about the four things a shomer watches for someone.

Ox, donkey, garment and sheep.

The four correspond to the different kinds of klipah or yetzer harah...which affect the bnei yisroel.

Ox - destructive
Donkey - cold to G-dliness
Garment - beged, bagda = rebellious
Sheep - Scattered, wandering

It seems that the time before Moshiach comes is the time when the Jewish People are compared to sheep.
The first law in Shulchan Aruch says "don't be embarrassed by those who oppose mitzvos in public."
This refers to people who are ashamed to do the right thing because there are others who ridicule it.
They poke fun and dare you to go against the flow.

The sheep are missing the boldness to do what is right!



Suddenly it hit me.
Sheep...shepherd...
Summer shepherdess...
Why didn't I think of this before!
A holy cause for the shepherdess!
It's a good thing.

Hurrah!
Thank you Jessica.

And you thought it was all about me...
:)