The futures so bright...I gotta wear shades

There is never a "typical" dough. I remind myself every week it shouldn't be standard. I am making challah, no ordinary wonder bread. Challah embodies our families as a whole; mixing in the struggle and joy from our day to day.

Being a mom, life can be very topsy turvy. There is very little time designated to reflection. I blink and my first baby is 6. It was yesterday that I was running my own line of bags, dealing with magazine editors, and celebrating opening new accounts worldwide. I was told by a "friend" from my fashion past that "I really used to be something".

Gasp, right?
Everyone including myself take a breath.

Granted this came from a person I have not seen in years, we interacted only at trade shows, and we both lived and breathed the very essence of cut throat competition in the fashion industry. She knows bubkas about me now, just some photos on Facebook of kids and me.

I am guessing this is the story of most "used to be powerful women". A force in their business fields, only to give it up to make a family.

Amazingly enough, I really took what this nothing person had to say to heart. It haunted me all day.

I could not shake the feeling of - there is more out there for me. Then over a sticky blob of dough, that typically comes out of the bowl with ease, I had an epiphany.

My life is nowhere near over (G-d willing). I am not defined by handbags, feature articles, celebrity followers, talent, or even success. I am measured by ME. And up until that fluff conversation over Facebook email, I liked me.

The song and proverb puts it perfectly. There is a time to weep, a time to sough, a time to plant...blah blah blah, I am sure I am destroying the words but here's the big deal people. There is a time for it all. There is a time to be with your kids and relish in it (even when they are screaming for you at 3 in the morning because they just could Not make it to the bathroom to puke) there is a time to explore, there is a time to be on top of the business world...there is a time for it all. We just all have to look at life as a big picture not a small scene. Adventures and success are wonderful but without a growing family to enjoy it with, I would have nothing.

So long live my adventure into the deep unknown. You have not heard the last of Jessica Alpert Goldman! perfectly put by Legends of the Fall "the bear inside of me is sleeping" and watch out world when it awakes.

I don't look back in anger. I look ahead with a huge smile.
Shabbat Shalom!