Kayaking with G-d

Yes, you read that right. Let me explain.

This past Sunday, before the dreary rain of the current moment came in, I went into a kayak with my friend Jaclyn. The sky was bright blue with strokes of white cloud, although if you looked carefully you could see the rain clouds about to roll in to Long Beach.

I was ready to go, wearing my traditional kayaking outfit -- a denim skirt, long-sleeved black shirt and a swimsuit underneath it all. The sand under my toes felt so good, and the sun coming down made the cold day seem much warmer than it was.

And then it happened -- I rowed out to the water. When I got into the kayak, it felt so natural, so peaceful. For some odd reason, in a kayak I feel extremely close to nature. Despite the not-so-natural surroundings of bridges, houses and plenty of boats, there was a great calmness in my soul. Moving the paddle along the water, feeling the wind against my skin and looking up at the bright blue heavens -- there are no words.

Jaclyn and I were laughing and talking about many a thing -- not to mention my fall into the water once we reached Marina Pacifica, a first for me. But I felt so close to heaven, yet so close to earth. Sometimes, in a state of joblessness, you feel so detached, and for the first time in a long time, I felt this great connection to the world around me.

I have been on a path to get active recently (more on that later this week), but what has always made kayaking special for me is getting out on the water. It's a full sensory experience -- the sights, the sounds, and the smell and feel of salt water, although I also got an unnecessary taste of it this past experience. When I feel it, I feel good as I pass other people who are also enjoying the water, either with a rowing team or wakeboarding.

I feel so connected to this world, and so connected to G-d, when I do things like this. I am a part of this earth, as G-d made everyone a part of it. We should enjoy it to its fullest. It reminds me of the Torah portion of Noah, where it spoke of Noah walking to G-d. We should all find a way, whether it’s taking a walk or paddling along in a kayak, that we get this feeling.

One way to get in touch with the world around me, I find that nothing grounds me better than a delicious fresh salad. A kosher salmon cobb is a good one, filled with protein and lots of tasty treats.

SALMON COBB SALAD

1-2 cans (6 oz.) salmon

1 red pepper

1 head romaine lettuce (see quick tip 1)

1 cup black olives

2 hard boiled eggs

3-4 strips soy bacon or ¼ cup baco bits (see quick tip 2)

½ cup grated cheese

1 cup prepared ranch dressing (see Kosher Alert!)

½ cucumber

Cut the roots and tips off of the romaine lettuce and slice up and put in a large bowl. Cut the red pepper in half and remove the stem, seeds and any white parts. Slice into ½ inch pieces. Peel the cucumber and slice into ¼ inch slices. Add into the bowl.

Slice the egg and the soy bacon and top the salad. Add the olives and the ranch dressing and toss. Serve.

Quick Tip 1: You can buy a bag of already cut and cleaned romaine lettuce. With regular lettuce, you need to clean it thoroughly to make sure there are no bugs and no dirt -- a big issue for kashrut.

Quick Tip 2: There are people who object to using things like soy bacon and baco bits because they retain the appearance of something that’s unkosher. If this bothers you, feel free to find your own salty and crispy substitute.

KOSHER ALERT!: There are kosher ranch dressings out there. However, they are few and far in between. Although ranch is traditional, any creamy dressing will do if you can’t find a kosher ranch. Just make sure to look for the hecshers.