2 Elul: Sage in Elul

I learned to make sage tea

from a friend whose hands know land-
how to gather what grows between stones,

how to dry leaves with care,
how to boil water without hurry.
He said:
Add the sage during the boil.
Add sugar.
Add more sugar, if the day’s been cruel.
And wait. Let it steep. Let it speak.

Then came warmth-
like sitting beside someone who doesn’t ask for words,

only presence.
This is how we come back to each other:
in soil under fingernails,
in meals shared,
in sitting by the fire long enough to hear
what the land is still holding.

Teshuvah is not just return-
it is repair.

It is planting again where we once uprooted.
It is asking the sage what it remembers,
and listening.
When we drink it together,
we remember:
we were never meant to heal alone.