Saturday, October 07, 2006

"Ulai," Maybe, it just never happened...

There's an old Israeli folk song that begins like that.

Suddenly my house is empty. Just a few short minutes ago it was pretty full and noisy, with married dd and her family and my other two daughters. They were all here for Shabbat and the first day of Succot. Now it's so quiet, and unless I look at all the dishes wating for me in the sinks, yes, more than one, and I pay attention to all of the blocks (bought over 30 years ago by my mother) and toys on the floor, it would be easy to believe that we had spent a very quiet and solitary Shabbat.

We planned the house for a large family and guests, and there were years when it was very full, and somehow I had the energy to cook for everyone. Housework wasn't my specialty, so I can't claim to have cleaned up very well.

But now it's usually just me and my husband at home. Sometimes we have a guest or two.

I just cleared all of the food out of the succah and shook the crumbs from the tablecloth and folded it up.

The house is so quiet.

Ulai, maybe it was just a dream...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the house seems even more quiet after having a large party. I guess you just need to invite people over more often! LOL!

Here via Carnival of Family Life.

Batya said...

Sure does.
I'm sure it's a great carnival!

Anonymous said...

There is always a little sadness after the din of family is gone, isn't there? It makes us cherish the moments together even more. :O) Here from the CFL.

Batya said...

true, so true