Over the Top!

I used to think I was nothing like my parents. Then I grew up and realised that in many ways, I am very much like them. Today I was reminded of the best thing I got from them - the absolute pure joy and bliss in being being my completely over the top, loud and fun self. I love BIG stuff. Loads of balloons at parties, making noise, singing too loud, getting excited to the brink of hysteria, etc. I've realised this is a total Israeli thing, to make a big deal out of everything. Case in point, today is the "birthday" of Israel - the day Israel became a State. Jewish schools across the world are celebrating in many different ways. At the hungry three's school, there was an asembly with songs, flags, ribbons, poems, music, dancing...all the kids were wearing blue and white. They released 58 'doves' to signify our messages of peace flying to Israel. The kinder kids baked and decorated a cake in the shape of the Israeli flag, sang Happy Birthday, ate Israeli food for lunch, sang songs about Israel, etc. For the past 10 days or so the school has been preparing for this event. You know what? I loved it. I love the fact that we go so totally crazy for this day - basically we've upgraded it into a full blown holiday. Why the heck not? The fact that I stood there in the freezing cold, huddling with other parents and a billion kids, singing songs about Israel...ya know, it's just brilliant. It made me ever so GLAD to be into it, to be someone who is over the top and doesn't apologise for it. I think we need more, bigger holidays....wouldn't the world be a better place if we all made a giant deal out of, say, Grandparents' Day? Friendship Day? Mother's Day? ANY day? Your challenge for the week is to go out and make a big deal out of something. Heck, bake a cake because it's Wednesday, and have a Happy Wednesday party! Take the time to do something BIG, just for the heck of it!