There have been so many times in the past year or so that I wanted to write, but every time I sat down to write a post, I couldn’t put a paragraph together. I didn’t really have ‘writers block’, but I think the opposite. There was so much to say, and I couldn’t find the words to get started. There is still so much to say, so I hope you bear with me as I put my thoughts together.

My dad passed away one month after October 7, 2023. For every holiday on the calendar, we were thinking about the hostages and their families, and I was also thinking about the loss of my dad. Not just the loss of my dad, but the losses of so many of my friend’s who lost one parent, many dads, and some lost two parents.

We just completed Chanukah. I said to some of my friends that this year was much harder than last year. At first I didn’t know why it was so much harder, but then a friend reminded me that last year it was so fresh we didn’t do anything, no candles, no celebrating, I don’t remember if I made latkes (I am sure I did, I love making latkes), so everything this year was ‘the first’. All things considered, I think I did okay. I made latkes twice, saw family and friends, and even received the most awesome gift – a custom made t-shirt that reads – When life gives you potatoes – make latkes!

I was in a meeting at work yesterday, with one of our partners in Israel, and she said what we are all thinking, last year in Israel the country was still in shock and deep grief and this year the thought is, how can we STILL be in the same place as last year (in fact, it is worse now than it was then). Things that should not be ‘normal’ are now considered a way of life. She told me that she left a wedding celebration early so that she would not be on the road when the sirens started.

As the winter break winds down, we will get back to routine life next week. I am going to attempt to add writing to my routine on a more regular basis. I hope you join me along for the ride.

Until next time,