Every night we light the menorah and the kids open a gift, for Hanukkah they are usually small like a game or book, we eat treats and latkes and say the prayer. I love this tradition and I love that my children have the experience of both. I don't love listening to it all happen from my bed.
For obvious reasons we can't light the candles in bed, and a couple of the nights I have not made it out for that, the gift opening or treats.
Watching my 4 yr old light the menorah and say the prayer in Hebrew with the Christmas tree in the background and a blue and white Santa hat on my husband's head is a sight to behold and one of my favorites.
But this post isn't about how sad I am to be missing it, it is just about appreciating the little things at this time of year. And always. Appreciating how special and precious our kids memories of this time will be and the simplicity of a game of dreidel on a Friday night (when your 7 yr old takes you for all your Hanukkah gelt!). I think my situation has made me see and appreciate little things more because they have become so difficult for me to do. It seems so simple and easy to go out to a dining room chair and sit with my family for our traditions, but it's not. And I'm not the only one for whom this is true by a long shot. But even if I have to just listen from my bed, I am working hard tonight to remember that I have these seemingly small things to smile about and they are actually the sum of what life's about.
So, I lie here trying to pull myself out of this funk I've been in the last two days and choosing to focus on the smile.
Happy Hanukkah!
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