Thank You, MOM 👩‍👧‍👦

Last day of camp. There’s nothing like watching the head staff, the counselors and the campers hugging their goodbyes. As we discussed in June, a healthy goodbye is when we take the positive energy and spirit and lessons learned to our next step in our journey.  And today is no different.  As we say goodbye to camp, we are hopeful to keep that healthy camp spirit as we move forward with rejuvenated energy and a sense of renewal to enter the new year.    And then there are Mothers. Schlepping the luggage (too often in the rain!), taking pictures, watching their exhausted sons fist bumping goodbyes and their daughters wailing goodbyes with never ending hugs and tears. (Someone should really make a skit about the differences… Maybe the Kichels already did? I must have missed that one! Send it to me if you have it…)    The mothers wait patiently. Gently supporting and prodding their children away from their summer experience and back into real life.                                   — Last week, Husband was leaving Citibank with a Starbucks in one hand and some cash in the other. (Editor’s note: I was NOT holding cash in my hand when I left the bank! Not saying who does that… but it isn’t me!)    Local Passaic/Clifton residents can picture this scene at the Citibank off of Route 3.    Husband (aka: Editor) was walking towards his car in the parking lot when he noticed an elderly woman, using a walker and all of her strength to slowly make her way to the door of the bank. Noticing her challenging walk, Husband backtracked from the car and sprinted to hold the bank door open for her.    “You must have had a good mother,” she says. And continues to say “she clearly taught you well.”    As someone who studies Attachment Theory for a living, I was so touched by this interaction.    First, this woman is absolutely correct. Husband does have a great mother! Thank you, Mom 😘!    Second, a woman in her 80’s complimenting someone in his 40’s for the upbringing he had when he was a child is wild! But so on target.    And this made me think about our own children that we are raising. We are not only raising children. We are raising adults.  We are raising people. We are raising counselors, head staff, doctors and lawyers, rebbeim and teachers. We are raising the leaders of the next generation. And we are raising the future mothers and fathers.   As I watched all these campers walk in different directions, I said a short prayer for us mothers (and fathers) to have the knowledge, the emotional health, and the energy to constantly be a source of comfort and strength to raise the adults of the next generation.    Just as our Mothers did.   Thank you, Moms.    💕, Shifi