Why Was that Mother SO HAPPY?

Today I was waiting at a traffic light when I noticed a mother walking along beside me with 2 little girls. My neighborhood is B”H full of mothers walking places with small children. But what struck me about this mother, what was different about this mother, was that she had such a big smile on her face as she walked along with those girls, like she was having the time of her life. Why would any mother be so happy doing something so humdrum?

And then I looked closer and realized who that mother with the shining smile and the regal headscarf was…

A few times a year, for many years, I’ve been attending holiday sing along evenings at the home of an old friend. This friend got married when she was 30, and even though she’s been married for over 20 years, she still has a special place in her heart for older singles. And that’s why the majority of participants at these sing alongs are single women ranging between the ages of 30 and 60.

For years I’ve secretly thought that one of these single women, a woman named Hodaya, was exceptional. So bright. So positive. So all around lovely.

And then this past Chanukah at the sing-along, I found myself looking at one of the few other participants with her hair covered. This woman looked so familiar, where did I know her from? And then I realized, it was Hodaya! Hodaya was married!

I was so excited that I jumped up and walked across the circle of women: “Mazal tov! I cannot believe it!” and gave her a big hug.

Afterwards my friend told me that Hodaya, who’s in her early 50s (even though she doesn’t look a day over 35) had never been married before, but a local mother who knew Hodaya set her up with a widower from our neighborhood with 7 children, and they had gotten married this past fall.

So that’s the story behind the mother with two daughters on a humdrum afternoon looking like she’s having the time of her life. Because this special mother is living the life she’s dreamed of for decades. Being a wife. Being a mother.

And just like that, against all odds, Hashem’s salvation came blink of an eye, and her dream came true.