Although my father, alav hashalom, and my father-in-law, yibadel lechayim, were different, they shared many things in common. It’s actually kind of funny – I didn’t think about it when I was engaged or first married, but they really had a lot in common.
Two men with mustaches, sometimes quiet, who enjoyed biking, fixing, and building things. They would bike from Woodmere to Long Beach and back, talking about the projects they were working on or simply sitting together quietly. They also loved barbecuing at family gatherings.
I smile when I remember how, when we lived in Florida, they spent a week together converting a garage into two fully carpeted bedrooms with outlets and lights. There really wasn’t anything the two of them couldn’t repair together.
I see now that my husband has inherited that same trait. He would often call them to share updates on his latest repair project.
At our son’s bar mitzvahs, my husband told them, “You are part of a line of fixers and builders. Find your way to do that in life. Embrace the optimism and creativity to think about how you can ‘fix or build’ any situation or problem – and cherish the quiet moments spent reflecting on those thoughts.”
