Word Prompt – VERKLEMPT – Cecelia Margules

I am an emotional being. I am stirred by events that grab my sensitivity, feelings within my heart and soul.

But there is one recent event that totally left me with a deep emotional response and sheer joy. That was the bar mitzvah of my youngest grandson Yoni. Yoni is a unique boy – He is a boy of few words but deep thought. He loves reading and learning and excels at it all. For the last year, he was taken his bar mitzvah studies very seriously.

Came the morning of his bar mitzvah service, and we all waited with bated breath for his delivery. Not only did he execute without pause or hesitation, but it was flawless. He was relaxed and sure of himself and it showed. Everyone was effusive in their praise, which was well deserved. But I, his grandmother, was in awe and totally overcome with raw emotion – I was verklempt – the Yiddish word for being overcome with strong emotional response. His maturity and cool demeanor left me breathless.

The simcha was rounded out that evening with wonderful music and vibrant dancing. People truly felt the joy of Yonas’s bar mitzvah. As for me, his proud grandmother – I remain unashamedly verklempt.