I had a wonderful time at the wedding of my close friend’s daughter in Jerusalem last night! She lives in the US and we’ve only seen each other once in the last fifteen years (not including last night), and it was very special to be able to share this event with her in person. It was a beautiful, beautiful evening, very poignant and emotional for me after knowing the mother for almost thirty years and the bride since she was an infant.
I was expecting that I’d hardly know anyone outside of the family members of the bride, but I was very pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t the case! First, I had the pleasure of meeting a blog reader and her mother-in-law. Then while I was speaking with them, I saw a friend for whom I made sheva brachos about 21 years ago, accompanied by her three teenage daughters (she still remembers spending Shabbos at our home when she was in early pregnancy with her oldest, now 20). I saw her briefly at a get together arranged when I visited Israel in Feb. 2011 (before making aliyah was on the agenda), and before that it had been at least nine years since we saw one another.
Then while talking to her, someone suddenly exclaimed, “Avivah!” and I turned to see someone excitedly approaching me who I couldn’t immediately identify. You know when you’re not expecting to see someone you haven’t seen for a long time so you need a minute to place them? A moment later I realized she was a neighbor and friend who I last saw 15 years ago – she then moved to Brazil and I hadn’t had any contact with her since then. She had no idea I was in Israel, and I had no idea she was in Israel – it was a very wonderful mutual surprise! We spent quite a bit of time catching up.
Then when walking to the chuppa, I glanced at someone who simultaneously glanced at me, and we both said, “You look familiar!” Turns out she was Yirmiyahu’s physical therapist at Shalva for the few times he went, over a year and a half ago. What a lovely woman. When the meal began, I happened to sit next to someone who recognized me from the homeschooling talk I gave in Telzstone in June.
It turned out to be a very social evening that I thoroughly enjoyed, but all of these interactions were really the cherry on top of being able to be there when my dear friend’s oldest daughter got married. I stayed in Jerusalem overnight and the next day we (me and the mother of the bride) were able to spend several hours chatting, which was amazing. A good friend is an incredible gift and I am very blessed.
And I’m also happy to be off of all those buses….I’m becoming an increasingly disgruntled and weary traveler. 🙂 I need at least a month of no long distance bus travel before I can mentally think about making that trip again. Ugh. I seriously feel like spending a day in bed. I won’t belabor how difficult this trip was for me, but truly every second of the traveling was worth it to share this life event with my friend!
Avivah
friends are the greatest treasure! what about renting a car when you need to make these trips to j-m? It’s not so expensive for a couple days , and so much easier to get around. maybe something to think about.
You’re so right, Rachelli, and I felt so aware of the gift of friendship after our time together. It’s so nourishing.
Renting a car is a great idea, but it’s too expensive for me. An expense I *will* justify in the future is taking the train instead of the bus – it’s more expensive but I don’t get nauseous.
it was lovely meeting you, Avivah! What a nice person you are. Actually if it was me you were talking about, I was with my mother in law, not my mother – but with the noise of the music and the impression most likely given due to the special relationship my mother and law share (Thank G-d!! every day for that), it was an easy mistake to make. One wish for the kalla and all kallot is that all of them should have the lovely, easy relationshp G-d has blessed me with my mother in law.
I hope to meet you again soon.
Warmly,
Sue.
It was a pleasure to meet you, too, Sue! I’m going to correct that about your mother-in-law; thank you for helping me to be accurate! You really do have a lovely relationship that many daughters and mothers-in-law would be fortunate to have.
Was this the A’s chasunah already?
Yep!