The life of the party

I don’t think I wrote about how much Dad loved not being the center of attention but being part of things. He loved parties; taking part in parties. And he loved being with people, even if they weren’t strangers who would become his new best friends.

So there are a lot of photos I haven’t included in previous posts that are of gatherings with friends. Two of them are his birthday parties for big ones– 50 and 65. And then we have one when we celebrated his 90th together in Sharon.

I hope he was doing something special for those decade markers in between. We have gotten so used to the myth that if there aren’t photos, there wasn’t anything particular to show. It’s pretty clear that every day should be accepted with gratitude and love.

Before some big shindig. Doesn’t Mom look amazing?

I think this was his 40th birthday party.

The 50th bash

Recreating the photo from Dad’s wedding. Good friends forever.

You can’t see that Meir is wearing long sleeves to make sure you don’t see his swollen arms due to an allergic reaction to eating poppy seeds on Tam-Tam crackers. And he had just come out to meet the family. A story for another time, perhaps.

Below are photos from the surprise birthday bash for the 65 year old at Linda and Howard’s house. We were out there on vacation, so it was great timing for all.

How wonderful to have such great helpers to blow out the candles!

Presumably work colleagues? I have no idea. But he looks so happy.

With his good good friends Bert Stillman, Marco Markovic, Steve Dula (from the left). His smile says it all.

I’ll quote myself here: My father was a master of speech. His ideal job, he said for many years, would have been to be a maitre d’ at a restaurant; he just loved talking with people. He definitely would have been a great greeter at the Beit HaMikdash, telling people where to bring their sacrifices and what was bothering them that day, or congratulating them on things that went well. And then moving happily to the next person.

Here are the key qualities of the ideal Maître d’, according to the Fork Manager. This is a great list of what made my father such a people person in all manners of life:

• Understanding customer needs
• Emotional control
• A command of technological tools (okay, maybe not that so much, but he could charm anyone to help him, so that’s something!)
• Financial knowledge
• Team vision

This is what was said about him when he was honored at his shul Beth Jacob:

We all know Paul as the premiere “Greeter” who greets people entering the main sanctuary, making them feel welcome, introducing them to other BJ members, and making them feel at home.

https://picturepaulvenze.wordpress.com/

I haven’t had any visions or even dreams of my father since he passed away. (I’m using that term specifically because it ties into what I’m thinking now.) But I’ve had ideas of what he’s been up to.

If there is any reward for a life well-lived, ethically, morally, and socially (ונמצא חן בעיני אלוקים ואדם And may we find favor and understanding in the eyes of God and man), then I pray that my father is fulfilling his greatest desire to be the greeter in heaven.

After all, he came with a lot of experience!

And I truly hope that he is one of the souls who is helping Lucy, Maia, and Rina, HY”D, to find their places in Gan Eden, to be their Maître D’ee.