We are proud to be Jewish
Traditional strong
Our heritage brings us to the place we belong
Our holiday feasts with candles, challah and soup
We sit as a family inviting strangers to our loop
Our world set on fire
When our people are hurt
Malicious and hate filled a.k.a. Dirt
We stand together and never alone
That extra mile we’ll go to reap what we’ve sewn
The proofs in the pudding
Our backs we will cover
As brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers
Hurt just one and you are hurting us all
Defending one another that is the call.

And just like this the word Magic showed up in the form of miso soup and a couple of rolls. Dinner al fresco with the plants and veggies she helped grow.

A.K.A. Art Linkletter was the consummate raconteur through media. He collected and shared other people’s stories. What made people laugh was his forte and in turn created television shows to encourage laughter. A feel good quote of his was ” things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” He lived a long, ingratiating and from all accounts well integrated life. Adept at putting people at ease, his pronounced talent. He worked with his son, how cool, spent lots of time in his career discovering the underbelly of what makes people tick. He was the straight man to children and brought out the unposed honesty that spills “out of the mouths of babes.”

He was a belly laugh enabler. “Kids Say the Darndest Things” was a show that he hosted from 1945-1969. It then had an encore performance from 1998-2000 co-hosted with Bill Cosby. Don’t get me started about character malfunction. Anyway, back to laughter.

Laughter is…the best medicine. Belly grabbing, breathless, endorphin producing and free. Sit next to the funny person. Grab moments watching re-runs of Sid Caesar, Red Skelton and Carol Burnett. They were funny and knew it. When Jon Stewart said good-bye a large group of us were dismayed. The Rodney Dangerfields and the Andrew Dice Clays stood up with silly, gross humor- none the less funny.

When Jack Benny cradled his chin with his hand, we laughed, based on postulating talent.

Happy Mother’s Day! My husband and I are blessed to share moments, days and sleepovers with lots of Grandchildren. Nobody creates laughter in us like they do. Not only their silly behaviors or the result of tickles, but the Art Linklater-esque questions they ask. The bi-products of first time experiences, sheer innocence and delightful naivety are priceless.

Last week our 3 and 4 months old (ask her she’ll tell you) asked to see her baby pictures.

As the consummate picture hoarder I gathered a few to show her. She looked at an early one where she has several months old hair. Her startled look, borderline confusion and the question that followed had me on the floor grabbing my stomach. She looked up at me and asked with extreme sincerity- “JUDY- I’m a boy?” I caught my breath, grabbed a chair to help get up and asked why? She then said “my hair is so weird.” Case in point. Art Linkletter, kudos to your renowned production of splendid insights. That interaction added moments of joy that linger and linger. With euphoric recall I am still laughing.

As we watch these beauties grow (8) to be precise- through first time- lots of things moments we get to be young again. So just for today, when Lucky Lady taps you on the shoulder, say Happy Mother’s Day to one and all. Hold tighter, laugh harder and Shout Hallelujah come on get happy, chase all your cares away.

During our early morning Instagram grazing we came upon this post below. With a heartfelt reaction it started our day with Gratitude. “Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon. Make it a great day for someone else.

The well that won’t run dry- unicorns, golden rings, mile high pies and Babies. When things go in one straight line, grab the rope in bungee like fashion and Coast. Yes, fly across the sky, dream a little dream and let the glitter cloud your eyes. Life on life’s terms and away we go. We sat and watched one of our three baby girl nieces- now all twenty-something go thru early labor last night. On the brink of a miracle about to unfold we sat looking at her as the pain set in. No pain, no gain well in this case watching this baby girl, we cradled at birth go thru this was very difficult to put it mildly. This was about to become clamorous- less than glamorous.

My baby sister a Grandmother. She has always been a Grand- Mother and now about to be a Grandmother. 

The strength of family as a community is incomparable. When pooling together to share the joy, divide the sorrow or set the table there isn’t a match. With familiarity eclipsing respect there are lapses in consistency. When “push” comes to shove- we weep, we mourn and Carly Simon move over when we celebrate.” Nobody does it better, nobody does it half as good as you baby you’re The Best.”

One very long, hard, life lesson hopefully learned— we don’t always fit into people’s lives the way we would like to or expected. Take the best of the fit, drop expectations along the way. When the water breaks and a new life emerges make peace where you can, raise the glass a little bit higher and pray that when G-d fills the waters again that Noah, his family and the animals make room for you too. 

“Sail on silver girl, sail on by,. your time has come to shine. All your dreams are on the way, see how they shine. If you need a friend, I’m sailing right behind, like a bridge over troubled waters, I will ease your mind.” Winged and cliched it today! Oh and to quote Bettie Ann- sister, mother, aunt, friend “it’s all good.”