The Lights Live in Me: In honor of my Father’s 80th birthday

You never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.

This photo was taken by my Dad of me lighting Chanukah candles close to 50 years ago. I had no idea of course how the power of the light to illuminate darkness and a belief that God’s light is everywhere would define me and guide me.

Words cannot express the love and eternal gratitude I feel for my father, he should live and be well, who is celebrating his 80th birthday, thank God, today and my mother of blessed memory, for instilling this belief in me.

Their shared faith in God and my siblings, optimism, joy, sense of mission each day symbolized by the lights of Chanukah inspire me and live in my soul every day.

After my mom passed away, it was the hope that somehow we as a family would transcend the darkest and most painful moments in our life to live in her light and do our best to carry her flame every day as my dad and I did on the day of my graduation from Yeshiva University months after my mom's passing and throughout our lives. It is the autobiographical spark that launches the journey of Caleb, the main character, in my latest book - The Secret of the Light to transcend his grief and loss of faith and experience new light and hope in himself and the world around him.

As we celebrate the festival of lights, never forget instead of lamenting the darkness, we have a choice to always increase the light. May God bless my father with the health, strength, joy and inspiration to realize new potential every day and continue sharing his love and light for many many years!