A Guten Chodesh!

 Did it all just happen? The cleaning, baking, peeling, chopping, cooking, washing, ironing, shopping, planning, plane tickets, sleeping arrangements, bed making, seating cards (yes!), packing, unpacking, traveling? 

My first thought on Isru Chag morning? ‘Are we on the other side of this?’

We go back to work and gather at the bus stops, the grocery aisles, the sidewalks, the playground (Yeah! Warm weather!) and we exchange, ‘How was your Pesach?’ 

We each have our stories. We have our successes, our accomplishments, the moments we are proud of as well as the recipes that flopped, the days the house overheated, and the second days’ guests who had to sleep on mismatched linen. 

We have the things we overbought, the things we under bought and the things we put on lists or in notes for next year.

We each have our stories and we each have the backstories. 

What was going on beneath the surface in each of our homes? 

  What was going on behind what was going on? 

How was I feeling both physically and emotionally?

Of course I was tired and my feet ached. 

Did I let my emotions get the better of me? 

Was I ruminating about a comment made that perhaps should not have been uttered?

Did I feel underappreciated and overwhelmed? 

Was Yom tov a greater financial strain than I was prepared for? 

Did everyone get the attention they needed? 

Did my guests do well together? 

Was I sensitive enough to others? 

Was everyone feeling comfortable with everyone else? Were people happy with their seats? 

Did I accommodate the special diets? 

Were there enough nut free, dairy free, gluten free (phew, that one is easy!)

Was the conversation light enough? 

Did I buy the right toys? 

Did everyone feel good about how Yom Tov went? 

Did I show enough appreciation to those who helped me? 

Did I grow over this Yom Tov – aside from the waistline?

And most importantly….did we create a meaningful, fun and memorable Pesach that will stay with them?

That’s my backstory. 

What’s yours?