scratching voice all alone

yesterday i did something i had never done before. i signed as a witness of the signing of a will.

m. is a good friend to my family. she has known me for years and liked me well enough to teach me how to chant for my bat mitzvah. i struggled along under her tutelage, going over to her house once a week, playing with her doggies and then buckling down to work. she is one of the smartest people i have ever met, knowing many languages, having many prestigious degrees, and knowing how to voice her opinion in an articulate and convincing matter.

m.'s health has been bad for a long time. i saw her last monday at rosh hoshana services, and the following wednesday she was admitted into the hospital. not knowing whether her condition will improve or not she decided to get things in order.

i pray she'll get over this hurdle.