Passover-- our celebration of freedom

So it is now Passover once again--and my mother is in her second year of captivity. While Jews worldwide are reveling in the freedom from Pharaoh, my mother agonizes over the fact that she is no longer free to follow her own path.

In truth, we are all captives of something. That is what makes the Passover seder so meaningful--we can all gain hope that some day we will experience a new freedom--freedom from pain; freedom from guilt; freedom from a boss who just doesn't "get us" freedom from money problems; freedom from health issues; or freedom from responsibilities that weigh us down. The seder is all about the hope that G-d will hear our prayers and deliver us to a life that doesn't enslave us.

I was really happy to share a seder with my mother (and uncle, too) this year. I attended the celebration at their nursing home and allowed myself the luxury of remembering the wonderful seders that we used to have at home, led by their father-- my grandfather. Of course, we all used to beg Grandpa to shorten the seder, but looking back at it now--it was perfect. The table was always set with the best dishes and silverware and all the special foods cooked by mom. We all read something and shared in the warmth that only loved ones and good food mixed with tradition can give you. This year, all mom was really interested in was the food. She was happy I was there and so, even though it was nothing like the seders we used to share, it was successful.

None of us knows how many more years we have ahead of us. We complain about simple or silly things, but at Passover we can be thankful for whatever freedoms we presently have. We can hope for "next year in Jerusalem" or hope that the things that hold us captive this year will somehow change within the year(s) ahead.