From Beyond (Blog Post #2)
- Wendy H.
- Oct 3
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 3
My psychologist from my teen years would likely chalk today’s small discoveries up to “textbook coincidences,” but lately, things feel less random—almost as if the universe is winking at me. Wait, can the universe wink? Or maybe it’s just twitching. Well, if my old psychologist could see me now, he’d probably be scribbling furiously into his notepad—likely running out of ink, patience, and maybe even faith. Sometimes, I wonder if he’ll eventually publish a memoir called “Case Studies in Weirdness: How One Patient Broke My Brain.” I imagine myself as that “One Patient.” Fun fact: back in elementary school, my peers teased me and labeled me, “Wendy the Weirdo.” Childhood self-esteem—nailed it. Honestly, who wouldn’t trade that for my high school glow-up: “Wendy the Good Witch”? I’m still not sure if it was my spellbinding personality or just my knack for handing in homework on time. If that book ever sees the light of day, I’ll probably need a new psychologist just to cope with the anxiety of being immortalized in print. I’m not THAT interesting, am I? And what if I lose my ability to swerve past the ice cream aisle like an Olympic figure skater, or pirouette away from Indian take-out with ninja-like stealth? I was hoping to earn a new nickname one day: “Sensei Self-Control.” Well, I won’t give up - yet. At this point, I’m wondering if perhaps a Rabbi, a Priest, or even a cosmic DJ would be better suited to help me interpret my fate. Ever feel like the cosmos have their own playlist just for you, and tonight’s hit is ‘Uncanny Timing – Greatest Hits’? So, grab your goggles and let’s cannonball straight into today’s blog, and you can decide for yourself: coincidence, serendipity, or just another episode in my sitcom-worthy life.
My first incredible discovery was Summer Kennedy! Seriously, what are the odds that I’d stumble upon her album during the Jewish New Year, of all times? It’s like the universe (or possibly YouTube’s suspiciously psychic algorithm) decided I needed a soundtrack for spiritual rebooting. As a teacher, I love celebrating holidays with my students—Rosh Hashanah always feels like January 1st’s hip, lesser-known cousin: a second chance to hit the reset button. Who wouldn’t be on board for that? Of course, there’s always someone who’ll say, “But every day is a chance for a new beginning!” (Okay, Sharon, but does every day come with apples, honey, honey bread and bonus existential reflection?) Summer’s song lyrics truly capture the spirit of renewal and inspiration that comes with the start of a new year:, “We can believe if we open our eyes. Out from the darkness we reach for the light. There is no limit, we aim for the sky. No hill we can’t climb. Our dreams come alive, alive.” And as my current flare-up simmers down—less like a raging inferno, more like a slightly spicy candle—I genuinely feel like I’m finally coming alive again too—breaking free from Zombie Pain mode at last. No more shuffling through daily life like a tired background actor in a bargain-bin Halloween flick. I actually found the energy to step away from those dizzying, miserable rides and I left the amusement park behind – for good. It turns out, iron really does help with those sorts of issues. Also, Dear YouTube Algorithm, what other hidden gems do you have up your digital sleeve? Is there a secret playlist for “People Who Accidentally Discover Their Own Comeback Story”? Asking for a friend. (Okay, fine, asking for myself.)
PS - Who is Sharon CoPilot? Am I going to meet a special Sharon this year? Should I be excited to meet a Sharon this year, or petrified? I’m gonna need a new therapist for this one too…
Well, my second big find was an absolute gem: “Autumn and the Black Jaguar.” Now, what were the odds I’d stumble upon a movie featuring characters named Autumn and Hope? My dearly departed furball was called Poppie Autumn Belle! Universe, if you’re trying to send a sign, you might as well rent a billboard above my apartment building. This film? Totally worth every single tear (and for once, it wasn’t family drama or an existential crisis causing the waterworks—just pure Disney magic). Honestly, would it really be a Jewish New Year if I didn’t get a little teary-eyed? Tradition is tradition, after all. And let me tell you, the soundtrack is so good it could make a stone statue do jazz hands. The song “Beyond” by Feet? Motivational. Inspirational. Downright perfect for launching a fresh year. Maybe one of my guardian angels—moonlighting as a YouTube algorithm programmer—decided I needed these treasures at exactly the right time. As proof, here are some lyrics that’ll have you ready to leap tall obstacles in a single bound: “Hold on to what you are. Believe in yourself to reach the stars. Trust your heart, it lights the way. Never give up or go astray. We can take this path, no matter where it flows… Let's not be afraid. We'll follow what we know.” Blog Lesson #2: If you ever feel stuck, begin with what you know. I can’t take credit for this wisdom—Socrates and Arthur Ashe said it best. Ashe’s advice: "Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can." (Note Lesson #1 was in Post #1)
The film tugged at my heartstrings—not just because of the epic animal–human friendship, but also because of the student–teacher connection. Fellow teachers, grab your tissues (and maybe a megaphone): there’s a scene where Anja, the teacher, is explaining the state of the rainforest—“It’s incredible. The largest tropical rainforest on earth, 390 billion trees, the world’s biggest air-conditioning unit, 70% of the world’s biodiversity, and one in two tree species is at risk of extinction. 57% of plants are endangered and we continue to…”—when Autumn the teen angrily interrupts with, “You know all that and you do nothing about it?” Anja’s comeback? Pure gold and teacher-anthem material: “I teach!” Come on, say it with me: “I teach!” Louder! Louder still! There you go—feels good, doesn’t it? Later in the movie, Autumn has a lightbulb moment and says, “People need to know what is going on here. And they will know because you’ll be teaching it to their children.” Anja drives the lesson home, reminding us of our place in the grand scheme: “Humans did not weave the web of life, we are a mere thread in that web. Whatever we do to that web, we do it to ourselves.” If you need me, I’ll be off somewhere writing more poems for my “Global Gratitude” collection—and possibly sniffling softly while humming to songs from my Global Gratitude playlist. Stay tuned, there’s more introspection and eco-anxiety coming your way soon!
And that leads us to my final discovery, the talented, Freya Skye and her song “Gold’s Gone”. This song is a good reminder to appreciate every good moment (especially since my knees now predict the weather more accurately than the news). Her lyrics remind me just how precious every moment in life is—and how quickly time seems to slip through our fingers. I want to hold on to these lyrics throughout this new year, “And my heart is still the same, but in the mirror things have changed. How'd it happen? It threw me off of my balance. I just wanna hold on. I'm scared of losing the moment. Running 'til the gold's gone. The seasons change and I know it. I feel the time is slipping. And I already miss it. While I'm still holding light in my hand. I just wanna hold on, hold on.” Honestly, if there’s ever a reminder to savour what’s good—be it sunshine, laughter, or a pain-free back—it’s this one. This blog is my not-so-secret prescription for happiness and maybe a side effect or two (like giggling so hard I forget why I walked into the room). So, big inhale, even bigger exhale, and repeat after me: gratitude keeps you young at heart—even if your joints crackle so loudly you’re mistaken for a walking bowl of Captain Crunch (and no, milk won’t help with the crunching!) or a noisy old walker (no, I don’t use one of those).
So, were today’s wins just happy accidents or cosmic winks? Who knows—but I’m officially grateful for every little miracle, coincidence, and musical rabbit hole the day threw my way. On a totally unrelated note (or maybe totally related; I’m losing track), did you know that science has proven people who have faith—yes, even faith in finding matching socks—actually have healthier brains? (Please see recommendation/references for more info) No kidding! So, today, I’m making it official: I choose to believe. In what, you ask? Miracles, serendipity, the restorative powers of honey bread (or at least Menuka honey – it’s SO GOOD!), and my ability to avoid the ice cream aisle (most days). If that’s the spiritual memo the universe wanted me to get, message received—loud and clear. Here’s hoping I can carry that optimism all year, even if my inner cynic insists on packing an umbrella, just in case the universe decides to throw some cosmic confetti my way.
Written Sept. 23rd 2025
By Wendy & A.I.
RECOMMENDATIONS/ REFERENCES:
Dr Daniel Amen is a renowned brain health expert who has scanned the brains of Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Kendall Jenner. He is joined by Dr Terry Sejnowski, a pioneer in computational neuroscience and co-creator of the Boltzmann machine with Geoffrey Hinton, a groundbreaking neural network that helped lay the foundation for modern AI.
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Lyrics of Come Alive by Summer Kennedy
verse
We all dream in every color
Searchin′ for somethin' bigger
And there′s a fire deep inside
It's gettin' ready to ignite
pre-chorus
We can believe if we open our eyes
Out from the darkness we reach for the light
There is no limit, we aim for the sky
No hill we can′t climb
chorus
Our dreams come alive, alive
Our dreams come alive, alive
We can be heroes, and legends today
And nothin′ can stand in our way
Our dreams come alive, alive
Our dreams come alive
Our dreams come alive (ooh, ooh)
verse
Through highs and lows, and every struggle
We scale these walls and jump through hurdles
There's no surrender, no defeat
We will conquer fearlessly
pre-chorus
We can believe if we open our eyes
Out from the darkness we reach for the light
There is no limit, we aim for the sky
No hill we can′t climb
chorus
Our dreams come alive, alive
Our dreams come alive, alive
We can be heroes, and legends today
And nothin' can stand in our way
Our dreams come alive, alive
Our dreams come alive
bridge
There′s no mountain too high (ooh, ooh)
And there's no river too wide
chorus
Our dreams come alive, alive
Alive, alive
We can be heroes, and legends today (and legends today)
And nothin′ can stand in our way
Our dreams come alive (alive), alive
Our dreams come alive
Beyond by Feet by Armand Amar
I never told you
I can run to the stars
Before the morning glow
I come to heal your scars
I will go on this path
No matter where it flows
I'm not afraid
I follow what I know
Hold on to what you are
Believe in yourself to reach the stars
Trust your heart
It lights the way
Never give up or go astray
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