Our little guy, Henry learned how to jump out of his crib. At 4:00am, we heard the pitter- patter of little feet and there he was. Blonde curls, pajama clad, huge smile. I remember our other children slightly frightened at the possibility of falling or injuring themselves. Not this kid. Just pure pride that he accomplished his goal. And now we look at the crib with a sense of nostalgia, understanding that the baby stages of Henry’s life are creeping further and further away.When I mentioned that sadness to a friend, she remarked, “You’ll see. It only gets better.” I know she’s right. With two older children, each new stage comes with joy, surprise, wonderment, amazement and anticipation of what’s to come. But there’s something still tugging at my heart. A wistfulness for what was and comfort in breathing in the memories of yesterday.There is a tradition of lighting two candles on Shabbat to represent the ideas of “shamor” and “zachor.” That when we bring in Shabbat, we both “observe” and “remember” the commandment to uphold the sanctity of the Sabbath day. But perhaps those ideas of observing and remembering extend to our relationships with our loved ones. That a sacred connection involves observing one’s growth and maturity while remembering one’s milestones, significant moments, and the recollections that encompass a human being.Just as we light both Shabbat candles and watch the flames flicker side by side, so too we can hold the memories of the past with the potential of tomorrow.In the meantime, let’s pray Henry stays in his bed.Shabbat Shalom
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