From JuJu with Love

Janet and I have quite literally been around the world together.

We’ve traveled across three continents: Kenya and Tanzania in Africa, Croatia in Europe, and, most recently, Japan in Asia. And in just a few months, we’ll be adding Italy to the list.

But for Janet’s birthday this year, we decided to try an adventure a little closer to home.

So we boarded a bus with the Women of Temple Israel and headed to Grand Rapids to see the Chihuly exhibit at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

Of course, no birthday adventure would be complete without our third musketeer, Shoshana. Janet’s sister, Margie, joined us too, making our little traveling birthday party complete.

The weather gave us one of those glorious Michigan days you wish you could bottle up and save for February. We wandered through the gardens, took in the art, and stopped for photos at every opportunity. I posed beside a giant horse, stretched out next to a reclining sculpture, and somehow ended up sitting among a field of pumpkins with my arms wide open and my mouth even wider. Apparently, I can turn any destination into a photo opportunity.

Inside, the Chihuly glass was extraordinary. But when I look back at our photos, what I’ll remember just as clearly is the four of us standing together in front of it.

There was something especially lovely about celebrating Janet this way: surrounded by friends and family, sharing art and sunshine with the women of our Temple community. It was a day of sisterhood, celebration, and the kind of connection that makes an outing feel like so much more.

On the bus, the Women of Temple Israel leaders spoke about the Sisterhood’s mission: philanthropy, sisterhood, and joy. They reminded us that after the attack on our synagogue on March 12, we cannot let the attacker take our joy away.

I thought about that as we wandered through the gardens, celebrated Janet, and laughed over our photos. Joy can be a birthday outing with friends. It can be beautiful art on a sunny day. It can even be lying down next to a sculpture just because it makes you laugh.

Janet has told me more than once today how much she loved the exhibit and that she’ll never forget this birthday. Hearing that makes me so happy. After all the places we’ve explored together, Grand Rapids has earned its own spot on our list of adventures.

Sometimes you don’t have to travel around the world to make an incredible memory. Sometimes you just have to get on a bus with people you love.

From Juju with love 💙