Friends Are Comford. Friends Are Inspiration.

Marie and I met Viviana, Enrique, Sandra and Eric at Spices Thai for dinner. I'm glad that all I ordered was a bowl of soup. Meeting with people who care usually makes for a great, long, and meaningful conversation. We talk and talk and talk and there is just no time to eat. I wish there were more people in the world like the ones keeping us great company tonight.

After dinner Sandra, Eric, Marie and I went over to Starbucks for some more chatting and laughing. Easy times. Fun times. Memorable times.

We reminisce and as we go down the list of mutual friends, the name of my good High School friend, Joel, comes up. I just remembered that this morning I received an e-mail from Joel, with a subject line "Who would have thought?", that read:

Thirteen years ago I declared that "I'm not going to shul again, unless someone can prove to me that Judaism is true, in which case I will become an orthodox rabbi."

This morning, on the eve of my ten-year anniversary of having returned to my Jewish roots, I fulfilled those words, having been ordained as a "full-fledged" orthodox rabbi.

I am so proud of Joel. His perseverance and determination are pure inspiration. Congratulations, Joel!

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Open Book" by Tahiti 80