CATARACT SURGERY: SEE YOU SOON
This is the week I’m scheduled for cataract surgery. My mother’s reaction (let her rest in peace) would have been to announce incredulously, “Now?…before Yontif (holiday)?!” For sure, as they read this, my entire family will picture the scene.
When I woke up on Sunday and started talking about the upcoming holiday of Passover, my husband asked who would be attending our Seders this year. The joyous celebration of Purim, which we’re celebrating now, is always my signal to start the Passover preparations.
This year, however, on the one month mark before Passover, I replied, “Right now, I’m focused on cataract surgery.” Duh, why do you think I’m having surgery? I can’t focus!
I seem to have a whole new outlook on life. Hopefully the surgery will be successful and I’ll have better vision for the massive amount of cleaning, cooking and entertaining soon thereafter. Passover will be here whether I’m ready or not.
Last Passover, our first grandchild was born in Portland, Oregon, during the hours of the second Seder. Shank bone in hand, I was there in time for the big event but only after prepping for the family left behind, celebrating at our home in South Orange, New Jersey.
Our “Passover baby” granddaughter was promised by her aunt to be groomed on a lifetime of Passover birthday celebrations. That’s because I delivered our daughter 30 years ago, on the night before the first Seder.
At the time, as my mother and father came to pick up our son, who had turned two the month before, on the week after Purim, my mother, nearly in tears, pleaded with my father to hurry, questioning anxiously within earshot, “How will I ever get ready for Passover?”
Just as my mother managed to prepare for Passover when her granddaughter was born, the day before the first Seder, and I managed when my granddaughter was born across the country, during the second Seder, those who observe the widely-celebrated holiday will all manage to do it again.
This year, when we celebrate with our daughter, it will be via Portal by Facebook before she and her husband celebrate later that day. They’ll be with friends in Los Angeles at the first Seder that evening, which falls out on the day of her 30th birthday.
Our granddaughter, whose first birthday falls out just after the end days of Passover, now living close by in New Jersey, will get her initial lesson on juggling a Passover birthday. Even though she won’t quite realize the excitement of avoiding a Passover birthday cake at her age, she’s sure to get a briefing from her aunt. No matter what the takeaway, guaranteed, her smiles will make it all better.