Affirmation necklace for Jamie

I feel one of the great privileges in life is to be given the honor of raising a baby to adulthood. If you are not raising them, then someone else most certainly is. A good family support system would include Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles but this cannot always be the case. Some families do better than others.

I remember going to my friends name celebration of their baby daughter which is a Jewish custom. The Rabi spoke of the privilege that was bestowed on them (the parents) of raising this little girl being, this “Spirit”. I left the gathering forever changed with an enlightened level of respect and awe for all my parents had done for me.

If Mother Earth had a microphone to speak into to be sure she would say a huge thank you to all you parents raising babies into children and onto adulthood.

Fast forward twelve years later to fall 2009 when I was invited to another Jewish celebration of my friends daughter’s bat mitzvah. It is a milestone celebration for a young girl passing from the age 12 to 13. At this love filled celebration, my friends' daughter thanked her parents in her welcome speech to everyone, which totally made me tear up that a young girl could have so much composure. My hands were totally sweating up in nervousness, but Jamie sailed through it.

I looked over at my friends “the parents” Dad’s hand on Mom’s shoulder as their daughter spoke, their bodies pressed together throughout her speech.

I have to say as much as I tried to keep my composure, the room was spinning. I saw the totality of life in a snapshot. Very humbling….


Prior to the event in conversation, I asked my friend what do you buy for a bat mitzvah present? My friend replied “Would you please gift my daughter a “Affirmation necklace” so she will stop borrowing mine?

Big gulp on my end of the phone? Really? Oh, I think I can arrange that. Big laughter.


A month passed and in the mail showed up a thank you note, written from Jamie thanking me for attending her bat mitzvah and how much she enjoyed her “Affirmation necklace”.

Ah, to think that I knew her and talked to her when she was in my dear friends tummy, and the little “baby blob” she was at her name celebration, was now writing thank you notes.



Getting older is highly under valued in todays writings, it is absolutely amazing.


Have a beautiful day,


Photo: 'the way up' PKM


Joy,


Rena

www.talktotheturtle.com