40 and the miracle of 8

Saturday 30 November 2013

Life began yesterday.

What a great couple of days – who knew that turning 40 could be so much fun!

Little S has been on form throughout – I spent the morning of my birthday watching her Chanukah show at nursery where, surprise, surprise, as part of ‘8 doughnuts in the baker’s shop’ she toddled across the room to take a doughnut from her teacher right on cue.

Then lunch with her and J, followed by a bike ride in the afternoon and a l’chaim of whiskey and doughnuts at the synagogue on Friday evening.

And, on Saturday night, a cocktail bar (and barman) in the lounge, an 80’s playlist that took me right back to student days and a house packed full of wonderful friends and family!

Little S was so excited!

Although she was asleep by the time the party kicked off, and she missed the sushi and more doughnuts, she was dancing around the lounge whilst we were putting up decorations and grinning from ear to ear – gorgeous!

But of course it’s not just my birthday, it’s also Chanukah – 8 days of stories, lights, hope and miracles.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks teaches that one of the miracles of Chanukah – that time in history where the Jewish people fought and won against the mighty Greek empire in order to retain their freedom and way of life; when the oil for the menorah that was left in the desecrated Temple in Jerusalem, which was only enough for one day, lasted for the eight days it took to replenish the oil from the olive trees of the Galilee – one of the miracles was that, in the depths of despair, the Jewish people did not lose hope. Not then, and not in the thousands of years since, to the extent that Hatikvah (the hope) is the national anthem of Israel.

As Little S’s nursery song goes One little candle, one little candle, one little candle burning bright!

Sometimes one candle can be enough.

Na’aseh Nes La’Shoshanim.