HOME & FAMILY

The Lost Treasure

Twenty years ago, Shoshana and Karen sat on the fluffy pink carpet in Shoshana's bedroom. It was a balmy, spring day, and the scent of freshly cut grass climbed through the curtained windows. They had spread out a picnic blanket on the floor, and set up a tea party for a circle of dolls and teddy bears. Shoshana had just had her seventh birthday party, and they were chatting about all the presents she had received.

ASK THE SHADCHAN
Older Singles
By Rebbetzin Nomi Travis

As the telltale saying goes in shadchanus: "A boy needs a secretary, a girl needs an agent."

In Glass Houses We Don't Throw Stones
by Tzvia Ehrlich-Klein

A bouquet of flowers on erev Shabbos will smooth many a ruffled feather

LETTERS, FEEDBACK

We had a big response about a true story involving a child who was lost during a shopping outing (Parshas Vayetze). Here is another.

MODERN DAY MESHOLIM AND MUSSAR
New Improved World
By Bayla Gimmel

Recently, something spilled and created a bit of a mess on my kitchen floor. It was more than a paper towel could handle so I went to get a cloth to soak up the greasy liquid. "I know," I said out loud, "I'll get an old towel." I wanted something that wasn't in such great shape because I had a feeling that it would become permanently stained.

They Do Not Understand
by A. Reader

'Always' and 'never' are taboo words. He does not 'always' ask when she is in a hurry . . .

POETS' CORNER

A challah poem is created by three people, each taking over where the other left off, creating a beautiful cadence

Is it Spring?
By Mindy Aber Barad, Drora Matlovsky, Ruth Fogelman

M — Is it spring?
Not by definition, no
But simply by the warmth
Of the stones
Beneath my feet

R — Simply by the warmth
On my face
Simply by the scented breeze
Plum blossom and almond
I know that spring will soon be here

D — Simply by the warmth on my face,
In my heart,
I know life is here,
Waiting to burst forth from all sides.

M — On my face
Scented breeze of blossoms
Gently nudges spring
Ever closer
Although the clouds
Seem to threaten

II

R — Is it spring?
The sun is out
Light clouds in sky
Overcoats left on hooks
Will the layers of winter remain unworn?

D — Overcoats left on hooks
Ignore the clouds!
Off to somewhere green,
Somewhere warm
Somewhere happy.

M — Somewhere green
Is where spring hides
Watching through the filtering clouds
Waiting.

R — Waiting to burst
Back, again,
Waiting for sun's rays
To warm the Earth,
Warm the roots of the trees,
Warm life into re-birth.

III

D — Is it winter? Is it spring?
I am cold and the birds sing
Let's put the heater on, my heart sings
I don't know where I am
The clouds, the sun

M- The birds sing
I've heard them twitter
First soggy
In a drizzle,
Now warmed,
By their own symphony

R- Trees carry a symphony
Though most branches are still bare
So few leaves for the wind to whistle
Only a week ago I saw the golden leaves
Underfoot

D- Few leaves for wind to rustle
Where does the music come from?
Is there some unseen instrument?
Do the trees sing
The song of spring?

Encounters

by Ruth Lewis

They are waiting for me, every morning,
Lined up neatly in their proper sequence,
Faces shining, mint-new, fresh-created.
They are waiting for me,
All the shining moments
That I am to encounter through the day.

All the people — most of all, the people,
The impressions, the lessons I am to learn,
The tests for me to pass or fail
Or deal with, or anyhow get through.

Each moment talks to me,
Though some are made to be ignored;
That's their correction
And my own.
Let me give each one its due, its focus, its attention.

Let me be there, present in each moment,
To feel, to think,
Or to decide, to act
As best applies,
Then to move on.

I used to turn away from them,
From all the moments.
I used to hide under my feather quilt,
In the dark,
Peeking out as though off-handedly,
Wincing somewhat at the light.

That's still my tendency, but now
I try to meet them, greet them,
Even if they hurt, are fearful, too direct, intense.

Sometimes I still dive for my feather quilt.
But it's getting better. I'M getting better.
Moment by moment,
Moment by moment,
Moment by moment,
Day by day.