Flying High

This past weekend we celebrated the bat mitzvah of my older daughter. It took months of planning, organizing, ordering, purchasing, returning, sending, resending, cutting, gluing, painting,...(on my part) and studying on my daughter’s. And it was over in a few hours. And it couldn’t have been better.

So many of my friends had cautioned me to be careful that I didn’t bottom out the day after the bat mitzvah.  They said that they had a hard time recovering and processing and realizing that the special day was over. Similar to coming home from an amazing vacation and having to go back to work - but 100 times worse. And so I was prepared. Luckily my experience has been different so far.

Monday I was exhausted beyond belief, but couldn’t get the smile off of my face.  My combination of pride in my daughter and gratitude for my village still have me floating three days later. This is a feeling I have never really experienced before.

The love and friendship and support that I felt both leading up to and on Sunday could not have been more encompassing. To illustrate just a little my friends and family provided: shabbat dinners to make life easier in the weeks preceding the bat mitzvah, bagging candy and hamantaschen (cookies) for over 150 mishloach manot gifts (our goodie bags for the day), tying 150+ programs with ribbon (that had been proofed by 3-4 people), loaning decor, gorgeous flower arrangements to make the synagogue even more beautiful, stunning makeup application, entire set-up of party (they kicked me out), bagging and serving of popcorn for during the montage, a space to crash between the service and the party (with coffee, friendship, and a surprise pizza party for my younger daughter’s birthday), a sense of calm (because they were willing and I was allowing people to take care of me and my family) … and I could go on and on.  More special to me than the actual actions was the feeling of love and support that went along with each one.

My daughter was amazing - leading the service, giving two speeches, reading from the torah. The rabbis were warm, welcoming and sincere. The room was stunning. The food was incredible. The people were happy. And although I usually freak out (internally) at being in a crowd of people - instead I basked in the glow. My husband gave an incredible speech in which he spoke of people he loved and appreciated and about the planning of the day and he spoke beautifully about me - and I soaked it in. I didn’t try to deflect. I didn’t make excuses. I enjoyed. And I was grateful.

And I haven’t even mentioned that I have never felt so beautiful. Maybe it was the outfit (thanks, mom and dad). Maybe it was the jewelry (again, thanks mom and dad). Maybe it was the makeup (thanks, Ara) and the contacts. Or maybe, just maybe it was a combination of all the above mixed with a feeling of pride, love and true happiness. I am not sure I have ever felt that way before. So thank you all who were a part of my daughter’s special day.

Best Photo of Us - Ever- Thanks Beth Intro Photography

I hope this feeling will last for a long time, or at least I can come back to it the next time I am having a hard day or even as I come down off this high.