5774

Tonight marks the beginning of a New Year on the Jewish calendar.  Tables will be set with fine china, the good silver and lovely tablecloths as families join to wish each other L'Shanah Tovah.

I will remember my grandfather wishing all of us a Gut Yomtov as my mother hurriedly prepared the matzoh balls, chicken and kugel that was usually part of our holiday. I remember waiting for my father to call about the store's closing so we could all finally eat the meal.  It brings me joy to remember her busy in her kitchen--capable, loving and anxious to please the family with her cooking--it is from her that I learned to enjoy the creative process of putting food on the table for a family. And by extension, I think I was able to bring that into our home, so now our sons are eager to prepare meals for friends and family.  They share that same joy of kitchen creation that their grandmother had.

The passage of time has changed that landscape.  Mom hasn't cooked a meal for the family in many, many years.  She was an honored guest at our holiday celebrations for many years and often brought one of her specialty items (usually the potato kugel) to our house.  But in my mind's eye, Mom is shopping, dicing, cooking and stirring happily--these are the images that give me the most pleasure.
It is the way I will always wish to think of her, rather than the way she is in the present.  I wish all who meet her now could have known her before.  I suppose it doesn't much matter--I remember and I will preserve that image forever.