Remembering...

 לעילוי נשמתם

Li'ilui Nishmatam

Raising their souls... remembering...

Some of my relatives, on my mother's side... all have passes away, if I'm not mistaken

According to the Jewish Calendar, today and tomorrow are yartzeits for two of my aunts, two of my mother's sisters. May their memories be blessed. 

Even many of my cousins have passed away already, some at rather young ages, all from illnesses, even the bride in this picture, who died recently at the age of 82. That's old for my maternal family. On the same day another cousin born in the same year, also died. 

Some families consider 90+ normal and almost take that age for granted, not my mother's family. My mother lived to an older age than any of her siblings, 88, two decades more than her parents. 

My father, like my mother, lived to an older age than his parents and siblings...

Nothing's guaranteed... 

I have a theory that our genes predict many things in our general health. Think of it as Gd giving us a hand of cards, some better and some worse. Of course, just like when playing cards you can play badly and lose even if you start with a great hand, and it's even possible to make the best of a bad hand-- though that's much harder. Obviously I don't believe any of the the hypes claiming that certain foods or lifestyles will guarantee you a long healthy life... and that's not even taking in account that an accident, criminal or terrorist can destroy the life of a potentially long-living healthy person. 

What's most important is to take care of ourselves, as best as we can, thank Gd and treasure every minute and certainly our family and friends... Anger and hatred destroy the gifts of life... 

Mother's Day? No Breakfast in Bed for Me

I have no memories of celebrating "Mother's Day" for my mother when I was a kid. She got gypped, because her birthday was May 14, and there were no "double celebrations" by us. We weren't much of a party family.

My mother and I, a gazillion years ago, in Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, NY

Actually, I have a vague memory of a disastrous attempt to serve my mother "breakfast in bed," never again attempted.

Maybe that's why the idea of breakfast in bed sort of turns my stomach. I don't understand the attraction. All I can think of is the dirt, the food getting all over the sheet and blanket, which could bring bugs. And then all the extra laundry to clean it up.

Besides the mess that breakfast in bed can easily make, today, as a religious Jew, who makes a point to pray the Shacharit, Morning Prayer, properly dressed each day before eating breakfast, I can't quite figure out the logistics. Am I supposed to change back into pyjamas, and then climb into bed before eating? Trust me. I'm more comfortable sitting at the table.

I have no objection to eating breakfast "out," whether a hotel breakfast, a restaurant or special breakfast with friends. But first I try to at least drink my water plus some coffee, and pray of course.
After that you can serve me.

There wasn't an American style "Mother's Day" here in Israel when my kids lived at home. Now that they're all grown and out of the house, I try to get a bit of quality time with each whenever possible, a lot more frequently than one day a year.

It's strange to think that I'm the matriarch with grown children and grandchildren. My cousins and I are the "older generation." Most of us are older than our grandparents were as we remember them. Actually, I've already lived longer than three of my grandparents. That thought/fact makes me treasure every day Gd gives me, even though my parents lived much longer.

I enjoy the blessing of health and being able to get out of bed each morning and starting the day admiring the sunrise, drinking lemon water, then coffee.



Breakfast is for later and never in bed.