L'Chayim

Wildlife in the Samaria Gorge National Park, Crete 

My hiatus from Philadelphia ended a month ago, and I am once again questioning when I am at,
which naturally leads me to a reflexion of where I have been. My writing has also been in a drought, so I am making moves to water it again.

But first, I gotta quote Regina.

Regina Spektors lyrics have always stuck with me:
"And people are just people,
they shouldn't make you nervous."
("...maybe you should kiss someone nice,
or lick a rock,
or both.")

Transporting myself through the country of Israel, bouncing around a couple of Greek islands, and getting lost in the bustling city streets of Istanbul had its moments of wondering what it meant to be a part of this people.  Meeting peoples of different values allowed me to become evermore connected to my identify as a human, especially as a Jewish human. Israel greeted me with a bright light of welcoming presence, as I traveled from Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem, to the Golan Heights. Tears filled my eyes as I felt an endless vortex of energy from the Western Wall, as inspiration from my passed hero, Grandma Doris, permeated my mind.

I was unsure how to feel with my body effortlessly floating to the surface of the Dead Sea, as these waters defied every experience I had to date with water. Sharing shawarma (obsessively, among additional amazing Israeli dishes) with strangers, uniting over our Jew heritage or lack of relationship with the religion. In bliss, riding the sound waves of blues music in a bar in Tel Aviv, bopping my head and tapping my toes with like minded 20-something year olds.

Spirituality in Judaism was brought to my attention, as we visited Tzfat (Safet) - one of the four holy cities in Israel. We were engrossed in the Kaballah.  I was overwhelmed with an unknown spirituality that existed within the Jewish way, the oneness of our soul, that was successfully relayed to me from a yogi-style Kaballah master/artist. I continued to understand the importance of giving and receiving, the ebb and flow of relationships with our needs being met, as we tune in to what others around us need. However, now, like never before, this was connected to Judaism. This cyclical rhythm of life, looking in to look out, being elevated by this connection to unity.  Although there may be an extreme emphasize on god in the Kaballah and the Jewish mysticism I encountered, I remained in disbelief, wide-eyed - this information (and feeling) is so relevant. Why not fit this powerful message into my life, through this transformation from self to selflessness, as I also transform this meaning to fit in to where I am at this moment.  Please read more about Avraham's work on his web page.

My first swim in the Mediterranean

Now, almost three months after I visited this holy site, I struggle with how this reciprocation fits into my current life.

The challenge with people followed me as I circulated the Mediterranean. Athena's olive tree, volcanic remains from the Greek islands, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and the incredible view from the Sea of Marmara. I like meeting people, and seeing places, and being loved. I hope to give more, not to receive more, but to feel more alive, more connected.

Post-travel, I sat a coffee shop in San Francisco while I was briefly visiting the Bay before returning to Philadelphia. Having a book in your nose is always conducive to conversations with strangers (but can't you see I'm reading?!) or at least it's an easy conversation starter. I talked to a local and his Australian friend - they had just returned from Burning Man. We ended up reviewing the 10 principles of Burning Man. One of these principles is "Gifting." It states, "Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value." I realized I needed to step back from my interactions, my relationships, and the giving I was so gracefully "giving." I am a human who needs to be appreciated, to be loved, to be cared for. However, I am going to be more cognizant of my intention around giving. This beautiful journey allowed me to realize more than ever that I can't expect anything from the world. But that doesn't mean I can't give for the pure joy of giving.

L'Chayim to the journey.

Erica and myself, getting groovy in Santorini