A good friend’s mom recently died, after a long struggle with cancer. At her funeral she was eulogized by her children and oldest grandchild, with such love. One son recalled a Passover tradition she had. When packing up all her special plates from her family’s Seders, she would write herself a letter and tuck it on top of the Seder plate, along with letters from prior years, to be read again upon opening the box for next year’s Passover events.
This ritual moved me, particularly for a woman who was described as such a giver, so generous and open hearted. Within her Seder tradition, which was inherently a group activity, she imbedded some time with herself to reflect on her own life, in her own words.
I have never hosted a Seder but I do unpack and repack our Christmas decorations each year. Perhaps I will include a letter to myself as a way of recording the highlights of my family’s holiday season, to slow down and remember the richness of our lives because honestly, Christmas can sometimes feel like too much, too fast, and then its over. What a smart way to start off the following year’s season, with a hand written reminder to myself of what I love.
