Memorable moments

I was sitting with the extended family at the last meal of the Pesach holiday at a private room in a hotel. My niece entered the room and suggested that we do what she had witnessed another family doing a few minutes previously. They had taken turns recounting their most memorable Pesach moments of the past eight days. As I recalled the experiences of the prior week, I thought about the interesting lectures I had attended, the nightly entertainment and the convivial atmosphere. But the most poignant moment that I experienced during Pesach occurred during the lighting of the candles at the seventh day ushering in the last two days of Yom Tov. As soon as I had lit the candles, I noticed three generations of a family standing next to me. After the mother had lit her candles, she turned to her mother and daughter and said, "Thank G-d we are all here healthy."
I was struck by her sincere appreciation of something we take for granted. How many of us thanked G-d for being able to celebrate Pesach with the extended family?
I learned a valuable lesson from a brief encounter with a stranger. I, too, thank G-d for being able to celebrate a memorable Pesach in the company of my family. May we all celebrate a happy and healthy Pesach next year in Jerusalem.