Sefirat Ha'Omer, More Than Numbers

Today I ended up home all day, so I was able to go to my neighbor's house for the weekly T'hillim, Psalm reading.  Afterwards I stayed to talk a bit.  It's such a treat to have time and to see my neighbors.  Shiloh has three hundred families and a few shuls and neighborhoods.  We don't have too many chances to get together.

As we left the house, one of my friends began telling us that she uses the 7 week, 49 day Counting of the Omer as a chance to work on herself, to improve herself.

There's a whole system in which each week and each day have special significance.
For expample, we are now starting the sixth week, and that means that for this week we should work on Yesod or bonding.  And for today:

Day 36 - Chesed of Yesod: Lovingkindness of Bonding
Love is the heart of bonding. You cannot bond without love. Love establishes a reliable base on which bonding can build. If you have a problem bonding, examine how much you love the one (or the experience) with which you wish to bond. Do I try to bond without first fostering a loving attitude? Is my bonding expressed in a loving manner?
Exercise for the day: Demonstrate the bond you have with your child or friend through an act of love.

I haven't been doing this. I really think it's a good idea. The way to make it work is to think of it all day, not just the minutes we're quickly trying to say the prayer and count.  My friend says that it helps to have a booklet and look at it during the day.  OK, add that to my shopping list, G-d willing.