I walked up three steps to the bimah—the raised area in the front of the synagogue—toward my youngest daughter. Her father approached from the other direction. During my son's bar mitzvah four years ago, we had made this short trip together, holding hands. Besides a high school graduation, this was the first significant event that fully and publicly demonstrated the dramatic changes to my family since the end of our marriage. Later, I returned to my seat to sit between my other daughter and significant other, close to my sisters and parents. My ex settled in next to his new wife and step children; his parents were a row behind him. For some of the out-of-town guests, the scene must have been a bit startling. For me, it had become the new normal. I had learned that while my family had changed in unexpected ways, it was still strong.
