The Sunday Series (80), with Mark Brodinsky

Sometimes it’s personal. Courage, hope, or inspiration. The inspiration which a child can bring to your life and the magic and wonder of watching them grow.

Everyone has a story and this is The Sunday Series.

The Sunday Series (80): Emily

“Love doesn’t make the world go ’round, but it does make the ride worthwhile.” – Franklin P. Jones

It’s easy to describe a special night for my baby girl, because the words have already been written on page one of the book which accompanied her ceremony last night:

Welcome and thank you for joining us to celebrate Emily becoming a Bat Mitzvah. It means so much to us all that you are here to share this wonderful milestone in our family’s life. Our family has so much to be thankful for, and we are delighted that you are here to share this special evening with us. We are so very proud of our daughter and for the wonderful, kind and caring young woman she has become.

Then it was up to Emily – and as usual she nailed it. With poise, composure, fun and without fear, Emily led an almost one hour ceremony as she made the next step in her life – in her existence as a Jew – to become a Bat Mitzvah. For those who don’t know to become a Bat Mitzvah literally means to become a “daughter of the commandment”. It is a bridge from childhood to accountability.

Accountability is easy for Emily – because she takes every task she is given and makes it her own, working hard until she gets it right. Last night was no different. My little girl shined bright – doing her reading flawlessly, thanking those who got her to this place in her life and sharing a special moment with her sister Sophie who read the following words:

A sister is someone who loves you from the heart,
no matter how much you argue you cannot be drawn apart.
She is a joy that cannot be taken away,
once she enters your life, she is there to stay.

From then on it was time to party, and sometimes you don’t need many words to capture the essence of a moment in time – only pictures and a special video.

Today, for this Sunday Series, take a look at some of the snapshots from a night to remember and if you like, view the montage I created with Evan Dahne of Maryland Photo Video, and take a journey through Emily’s life: