The next guest blogger is Suzy Zemel, our Sisterhood president and good friend. She works tirelessly on behalf of the synagogue. She is on the board, the education committee and sings in the choir and house band. She coordinates our book group. She is always willing to try something new. This is her first (recent) attempt at poetry:

The Many Sources of Joy

Joy, so many ideas come to mind…

A baby’s laughter makes us smile,
So contagious to hear,
We laugh at the baby’s delight.

Singing, brings delight and joy,
A beautiful piece of music,
Marveling at the teamwork,
Composer and lyricist created.

Cuddling my grandsons,
Laughing and reading together,
Sharing their secret thoughts,
An impulse hug and kiss.

Enjoying a great book,
Not wanting to stop,
Needing to turn to the next page,
Finding out how it ends.

Spring: everything comes alive,
Daffodils and tulips opening,
Such a great source of joy.

Isn’t it amazing,
Year after year,
Plants and animals wake,
Knowing how to proceed,
After the long winter months.

The many colors appear in the sky,
The majestic sunrise,
The sun setting in a grand finale for the day,
The sky turning different shades of blue,
With an abundance of clouds,
Passing and changing formation.
The beauty of a rainbow,
Which seems to just magically appears.

Loving and being loved,
What a great joy.

Giving and helping others,
Support for mankind.

Watching our children graduate,
Joy for them and to us,
As they move on to their next phase of life.

Creating a delicious meal,
Tantalizing smells throughout the house,
Beautiful colors and display,
Mouth watering in anticipation of the taste.

Feeling a baby kick for the first time,
Becoming a parent,
Excitement,
Then sleep deprivation.

Enjoying the company of friends and family,
Laughter, good times,
Making memories that stay in our heart,
The friends that becomes our family.

The feeling I have,
As Shabbat begins,
The peaceful feeling,
Enjoying Shabbat service,
Feeling more peace and joy.

And my list goes on…

Suzy Venetianer Zemel