Impassionata

Last Saturday was one of the most fascinating and rich days I’ve had in a long time.

Started off in the morning with a Bat Mitzvah in Oakland. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age ritual in the Jewish tradition, and watching a girl  I’ve gone to Great America every summer with for the past 6 or so years lead a congregation in service was wonderful. Sabrina Tobe led with a beautiful and spunky, vibrant clarity through the services, and watching tradition visibly handed down three generations moved me to tears. I was so proud of her. I was also amused to watch her throw her shoe at a guy in her class at the following luncheon. Ah, 13 – that beautiful threshold, where one moment she’s a woman and another, having all the glee at a child. I haven’t thrown a shoe at a guy in forever! I probably should, now that I think about it…it’d be fun. (The photo below is of Sabrina, myself, and my sister Jen.)

In the afternoon, I was in Palo Alto for the beautful wedding of one of my former Women in Management girls. The Hindu ceremony ran something like 2 hours, followed by a short Muslim ceremony. What a wonder this world is (and the Bay Area in particular) where I would be listening to ancient words in Hebrew in the morning, and then Sanskrit and Arabic in the afternoon! The colors were glorious, and I was fascinated by the ceremony itself. It was unlike any I’d ever seen (my first Hindu ceremony). I remember walking in and wondering why there was a water/coffee/tea service in the back of the hotel ballroom, and realized that people felt comfortable getting up in the middle of the ceremony, socializing, kids were running around. The saris the women wore were in these rich, saturated colors that glowed in the afternoon sun and glinted with lots of shiny threads.

It also turned into one of the most intense evenings I’ve had in awhile, with new friends and rich conversations. I spent most of the next day recovering from it, including much napping and a glorious walk outside in winter sunshine with golden leaves.