36 Reasons to Say Shehecheyanu

It just so happens that 36 days from Thursday is my 36th birthday.

Thirty-six is a really important Jewish number. You've probably heard of the way that the number 18 is special for Jews, right? The Hebrew letters that are used to illustrate the number 18 spell "chai," which means "life." Thirty-six? Double-life. It doesn't get any better than that. (Until you're 72...)

I've been musing for a while about the proper bloggy way to celebrate my 36th birthday. I've run through many different ideas, and finally, with the help of my dear friend, Anne, came up with this.

36 Reasons to Say Shehecheyanu.

Shehecheyanu is the blessing that is said for a joyous occasion, for the first time you do something (ever, or just in a season - the first time you EVER ski is a shehecheyanu moment. If you're a regular skier, you might say shehecheyanu for returning to the slopes at the beginning of the season. I have no idea why I chose skiing as my example, since I don't!)

Can I do it? Can I find 36 different, legitimate reasons to say shehecheyanu over the next 36 days?

I'm going to try. I started making a list of "firsts" - some are easy, like trying new recipes. Some are harder, like trying new experiences, or teaching or learning something new.

Since I don't blog on Shabbat, I'm going to set up something different for those days. I'm going to write about personal memories for the Saturday posts (they will go up after Shabbat is over!), so as not to have to look for something new to do on Shabbat!

It starts Thursday....so please join me on my 36 day journey. Leave me your suggestions (totally clean and appropriate, of course) of experiences and "new" things that I can do in the next 36 days! I'd love to hear your ideas.

(P.S. I thought of doing a tzedakah push for my birthday. I have decided not to this year. There have been so many gifts made in honor of Sam and our family over the last six months...I am sure that I will come to you all with a big, beautiful project in the future. I am so blessed in so many ways, and there are so many opportunities that I will be blessed to share with you in the future.)