Sunrise, sunset

I often wonder whether lyricist Sheldon Harnick and composer Jerry Bock knew that "Fiddler on the Roof" was going to be a hit or, for that matter, a timeless classic. Through the vehicle of the Jewish liturgical cycle, the work addresses universal themes such as the of brevity of life and the swiftness of time's passage. The dispersal of an entire village underscores the frailty of existence of individuals and entire communities. Anatevka was a fictional town in Czarist Russia. Its residents knew that, as Jews, they weren't welcome and that changes were afoot. One day, suddenly it seems, the residents are told that they are to leave. It's over. So, too, in individual lives, gradual changes are barely noticeable. Feet grow, clothes become small, the tooth fairy period comes and goes. Then, one fine morning, everything is different.

We experience childhood, waiting to become teenagers and anxious to assume responsibilities. All of the sudden, we find ourselves out in the real world. Ellen Futter, then the in-coming president of Barnard College, gave a speech at my college graduation. My recollection is that she told us that we would spend the next ten years trying to accomplish specific goals. It would seem like it was taking forever, until ten years had passed and we would wonder how all that time had passed so quickly.

Here we are at Jewish New Years again. Another year is about to begin and another about to end. Instead of a year of gradual change, this is one of great transition for my family. A daughter is about to leave for school and embark on a new adventure. Another has returned home and will be spending her year at a new school. All of the sudden, my time as a full-time stay-at-home mother is coming to a close, but another door is opening. Now, it is time to embark on new adventures. Happy New Year to all.