Bat Mitzvah

"For me the different religions are beautiful flowers from the same garden, or they are branches of the same majestic tree. Therefore, they are equally true, though being received and interpreted through human instruments equally imperfect. Hence the necessity for tolerance, which does not mean indifference towards one's own faith, but a more intelligent and purer love for it. Tolerance gives us spiritual insight, which is as far from fanaticism as the North Pole is from the South. True knowledge of religion breaks down the barriers between faith and faith and give rice to tolerance. Cultivation and tolerance for other faith's will impart to us a truer understanding of our own." Mahatma Gandhi (From our Bat Mitzvah program)

John and I were blessed to attend a Bat Mitzvah for a former student of mine. It was quite an amazing ceremony. She not only made her Bat Mitzvah, but also made her Catholic confirmation earlier this year. It was incredible...she had her Catholic Priest present and he gave a wonderful blessing to the family and Rabbi, and well, the Rabbi was so warm and welcoming to everyone there.

For a person such as myself questioning beliefs and religion and always since the day I was born questioning what others told me to do 'just because' I found this ceremony spoke to my heart. I always have been jealous of those people who are "religious zealots" because they are mired in their convictions. They know they are right. They believe what they believe with their whole heart. I feel like an impostor every Sunday at Church because I am so unsure but I take the kids anyway because I want them to know there is something bigger than themselves, be whatever that may be.

The ceremony itself was not to be missed. My former student who I knew as a little 6 year old in pigtails was now a woman in the eyes of her faiths, both Catholic and Jewish. She read in Hebrew from the Torah, and I was beyond impressed, even if I didn't know what she was saying and couldn't tell if she made a mistake or not. It takes a certain something to get up in front of a hundred or so people (even family and close friends) and do what she did.

The absolute best part of the ceremony was the blessing her parents gave her. Both came up and gave speeches, written separately and with much thought and love. How incredible it must be to have your parents stand in front of God and everybody and declare what a wonderful person you are, and shout from the mountaintops how much they love you. I mean, we all know we love our kids, but do we ever stop to tell them as they get older and older what a gift they truly are to not only us, but the world at large? We all know our parents love us as well, but they way this is done is so special, and sentimental, and for lack of a better word holy. I tried to think what I would say to each of my own kids, because although they are all so similar, and they are good kids, what I'd have to say to each of them would be so very different.

How amazing this life is. Another quote from today:

"To Be is a miracle. To sense that I am here, in this time, in this space, so unique an special. One day I appeared on this earth an said: I am I. That is miracle enough. In the endless empty spaces of the universe, in the mystery of the secret workings of all things, it is the greater wonder that I am, that I fill the emptiness with life, that I experience myself and know about myself, and that I penetrate to the outside and meet you. I will not search for miracles but become conscious that I am miracle enough. I will celebrate myself an You celebrate me."

And so my 3 little darlings, you are Miracles in and of yourselves. And I love you all very much.