RED ROVER & the skinny marink

1960’s…I played a mean red rover. I was skinny as a rail. “Skinny marink” is what my grandma called me. Boney, knees, elbows. wrists…skinny.

But that didn’t stop me. I was fierce. Not really even fierce. Just all in. Full of moxy, I was determined I would break through that formidable Red Rover line every time. I was doing new age visualization before it was a thing. Despite how big and oversized my opponents might be, I’d actually break through their strong grips sometimes, and was always a bit surprised when I didn’t.

So this time when we played Red Rover (I was about four years old) and they said, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send Vivi Over”

…this one particular evening, we were at the swim club, outside the canteen. Sun had recently set, must have been 7:30pm, 8:00pm ish. They called….I ran fierce, full throttle, and I guess I slipped and fell like a good football player, forward. I must have blacked out, because the next thing I knew I was lying on the ground and all these people including adults were kneeling down on the ground around me looking worried.

When I came to, I looked up at them, and all I could think was the pressing question,

“DID I BREAK THROUGH??!”

I never found out. I don’t think they answered me. There was hubbub and hulabaloo – maybe I went to the hospital. I don’t remember.

I do remember those magical days when we played outside, ran around, played dodge ball, kickball, tag, red light green light, basketball, dolls, whatever…we played.

It’s a memory etched in my mind. A happy memory. I get a kick out of the ‘devil‘ in me that wasn’t afraid. 

Where are our spirits? Especially now with covid, many of us are isolated and separate from external excitement. 

My spirit is a little down. I recently talked about ’empty nest‘; I am in between now…in the hallway…What’s next?

I’m smiling over that little girl who ran full speed ahead, sure of where she was going and certain that it was going to be good. And if it wasn’t. she shrugged it off, and ran again with the same confidence.

And 

Gam Zu L’Tovah

That’s a Hebrew expression my son Kobi says often. 

It means, “This too is for the good” (from Rabbi Nachman of Breslov 1772- 1810).

No philosophizing here. I’ll just say it’s a belief by which I try to live. 

Thank you Kobi and Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. 

I love it.  ©

💖, Vivi

P.S. FOR A BIG DOSE OF JOY, watch this music video: “RABI NACHMAN” linked here on Mark Sheekey’s Youtube channel by Artist סינגולד איציק דדיה, Writers Richard Wright, Roger Waters, Licensed to YouTube by UNIAO BRASILEIRA DE EDITORAS DE MUSICA – UBEM, LatinAutor – PeerMusic, LatinAutorPerf, Abramus Digital, and 4 Music Rights Societies

THE ESSENTIAL RABBI NACHMAN from Azamra.org linked here has many wonderful Rabbi Nachman sayings, one such being “No sophistication is needed in serving God – only simplicity, sincerity and faith.” Translated by Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum

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