Thanksgiving - Chanukah

It's the weekend of Thanksgiving, and I've visited with my nephew Arden and his lover Dru, here from California. We've grown closer with time, and as I age this becomes more important. Even my great nephew Jonathan, Arden's son, now in his mid-thirties, and I have started to know each other. Lacking my own lover, these connections grow in value,
This is also one year when Thanksgiving and Chanukah almost intersect; the Jewish holiday begins in a few days. Both celebrate important moments, and (I'd like to think) narrow any gap between secular and religious events.
I'm really enjoying my new connection with Jonah Rank, first-year student at the Jewish Theological Seminary, who comes here as a "Chavrutah," teacher/study partner. We read and freely tear apart Biblical stories, so far some from Genesis that do read rather like soap operas. It's not yet clear what benefit for my own life I should get from these tales, but I believe there is benefit and I accept them as wonderful narratives. Jonah too becomes a supportive young player in my aging life.
Days have now gotten colder and daylight shorter, a sure sign of oncoming winter. I search for joy.

Birthday

This week was my birthday--not only mine, but several people I know--all Scorpios, good luck. For me it was number 78, a combination of two digits that sound nice together even if they sound certainly old. Not for the first time do I marvel at how quickly such events arrive.
I've begun, tentatively, to look into retirement-type places. It was the suggestion of my loving niece Elissa who I know was NOT trying to shovel me into a grave, only too help me avoid being caught short if the need should arise for a change. I've seen two such places here in Manhattan, one preferable to the other, and it is--bottom line--a place that is do-able. I'm not ready for such a move, don't need to make such a move, but I see that putting the idea on my radar is a good thing, and not easy. A lot of mental moving will be needed before any physical move follows.