Last night was one of those rare Friday nights that I wasn’t having dinner either at my parents house or at my brother’s house. We had some cousin’s that were in from Montreal and they wanted to get together and have dinner out, which my parents and I decided to do.

We were ten of us for dinner – my mother, and her two cousins and their spouses, and then myself, my cousin, and her two children. There were three generations of cousins and it was really nice. We went to Paisano’s at Sheppard and Willowdale, which I am sure many of you are familiar with. If you are not, and really good Italian food, you should check it out!

My cousin and I were at the “kids” end of the table, with the ‘adults’ at the other end. Her sons are almost the exact same ages as my nieces, 8 and 6. When they arrived, of course the two boys were quite shy and stuck to mom, but the older one sat beside me, the younger one across from him and then my cousin and I across from each other.

It was very nice, because my cousin and I are the same age, both live in the “neighbourhood” but our paths have not crossed very much. We had a nice time talking and catching up. I had brought my photo books and that lead into travel discussion and about cruising. It was great, because they had been on the Allure and the Freedom of the Seas, which allowed me to ask the boys questions. That was all it took – the younger one was FULL of questions for me.

I loved some of the questions that he asked. It was fun and humourous and really seeing life through the eyes of a 6 year old.

As I said, we are sitting at the “kids” side of the table, which lead into the following interaction:
6 year old: “you are not a kid”.
Me: “Well, yes, I am. That lady is my mom, and that man is my dad, so I am their kid.”
6 year old: “no, kids are only up to teenager. You are not a kid.”
Not going to win this one.

Discussing how we are all cousins.
Upon meeting the cousin from Montreal
6 year old: “She is our cousin, how old is she?”
Mom: “She is the same age as Gramma.”
Me: “How old do you think Gramma is?”
6 year old: “86”
cough, cough (Gramma is in early 70’s and looks like mid 60’s)

I had brought some of my photo books to share with my cousins and the 6 year old really enjoyed looking at the books and asking questions. I loved it. He was really engaging and funny and sweet. It was such an enjoyable meal (maybe not for Mom) but for me, I had a great time.

Final set of questions before we ended the meal:
6 year old: “do you have kids”
Me: no
6 year old: “do you have a husband”
Me: no
6 year old: “so you live by yourself”.
Me: yes
6 year old: “so that is why you live in an apartment”.

So, back to Paisano’s….as we were walking towards the front door, he was walking with me holding my hand (trusting me to walk out ahead of his mom). I told him that Paisano in Italian means Friend. To which he replied, “We are eating at a place that is called Friend”. Yes.

I hope that I will get to see my cousin and her boys again soon. It had been way too long, and my mom told her that I love children (as if she couldn’t tell by then) and that I love to have kids over, bake, arts and crafts, etc. She looked at me and said “I have your numbers now”. I told her that she could use them, anytime.

If you are one of my friends with kids, you know this to be true.

Thanks for reading, happy Saturday everyone!~

I realize that not everyone that reads my blog may know what the Yizkor service is or consists of.

Yizkor are a series of additional prayers in remembrance of loved ones that are said four times a year during significant holidays that are celebrated. Our Synagouge has produced a supplementary booklet with the prayers, and some poetry and words of comfort. There was also an opportunity for fundraising as well, you could pay to have a remembrance message put into the book for the coming year.

The prayers are for the loss of a parent, husband, wife, child or other relative. I remember when I was much younger at our old shule Adath Shalom that when Yizcor was about to be said, all the children would leave the sanctuary since we (thankfully) had not experience the losses that the ‘grown ups’ were saying prayers for.

It was a time to go downstairs to the childcare area, visit with friends there or outside, and socialize. It was a nice break from the prayers and reading, and standing up and down. I will always remember those times. It is funny, because I still see some of those same ‘kids’ today, either at shule, or out socially or on facebook. Now those kids have kids, and we are adults.

Being an adult also means that it comes along with the fact that now some of those prayers are relevant to our lives. I have lost grandparents, and even friends. So, the prayer for relatives and ‘others’ now would apply to me. For many years I have stayed in for the service, and read the prayers that were meant for me.

The book this year included a new prayer. A beautiful new prayer that I had not seen before. It is a prayer for those living with parents. I was sitting beside my mother and she turned the page she pointed it out to me as well. It is a really beautiful prayer and I would like to share it with you now.

Heavenly Father, at this sacred moment when we remember those who have died, I turn to you, O G-d, with profound gratitude that my parents are still with me today. Bless them, I pray, with physical health and spiritual fulfillment and grant them the strength to be with me for many years ahead, the privilege to enjoy the success of their children and blessings of family and home. Grant me the resources to provide for them if they are ever in need and give me the ability to fulfill every aspect of the commandment of filial responsibility. May it be Your will that I come to fully appreciate my duties as a caring child and give me the wherewithal to fulfill those duties with love, with joy, and in happiness. May I remain a source of pride and joy to my parents and my family. Bless all the members of my family with good health, long life, with light and with love. In reverence I turn to You, hopeful to serve You wholeheartedly. 

I love you Mom and Dad.

Amen