This summer I have experienced the circle of life. In July, my daughter Ariel and her husband welcomed a little girl, Yael Hodaya, into their family. She is healthy and much loved by her sisters, and all who meet her.
In August, my mom, Harriet Fishman, passed away. She was 87 and not in great health – neither mind nor body. I remember her as a vibrant woman who graduated college at 20, married 2 weeks later and became a mother to me at 21. She lived the traditional housewife, mother life and then decided to go back to school to become a special education teacher. She taught for 20+ years and retired with my dad to Florida. In Florida, my parents led a great life for 15 years, until their health declined. They traveled the world, on trips arranged by a neighbor who was a retired travel agent, and enjoyed life without snow. Mom was a smart woman, who cared deeply for her family, and my daughters remember her as a really good person.
Her funeral was in Florida, where she is buried with my dad at the VA cemetery. The day after the funeral, my kids from Israel arrived for several weeks, so I had a very private shiva period with them.
I spent the last few weeks, at our house in Long Beach, with 2 very active, funny, assertive and bilingual 31/2 year olds, taking them to playgrounds, the beach, and feeding them countless meals, and their now 8 week old sister, who smiles with her whole face. They were joined for a short time, by their 8 year old cousin, who lives in Washington Heights, and their aunt. Having all my kids under one roof, if only for a moment, was very moving. Needless to say, it was just what I needed, and utterly exhausting.
As I prepare for Rosh Hashana, I think of the ebb and flow of life, and how I am blessed to be able to ride these waves with so many people who I care about and who care for me.
Wishing everyone a shana tova — one filled with joy and love.
