It turns out that life is less about what we do and more about how we do it. As we've surely noticed, two people can have what appears to be, from the outside, a nearly identical experience, but have that experience mean something completely different to each of them. For one person, the experience can be a peak experience, even life-changing, while for the other that same experience can be a total waste of time. Life is less about what we do, and more about the quality of our doing.
To do something, even something familiar and mundane, with the fullness of our being, is to elevate and transform that action through the quality of our doing. If we've ever had a piece of toast smeared with butter and thought, this is the BEST piece of toast I've ever eaten, it probably had less to do with the toast itself and more to do with the quality of our eating it.
Today was a day full of iconic experiences-- exploring Masada, riding a camel, floating in the Dead Sea, and celebrating Shabbat in Jerusalem. Thankfully, our kids took responsibility for the quality of these experiences. By taking responsibility, they made today a truly unforgettable day. They made today into a series of peak experiences that they will never forget. Not only will they never forget, but they'll continue to be nourished by these experiences each time they look back on today, and they'll be able to "time travel" from the as yet unknown future back to this wonderful day.
On top of Masada our kids took responsibility for their experience by listening closely, asking and engaging in big questions, and pushing through their exhaustion to be as fully present as able.
Our camel rides, while relatively brief, were in a beautiful and remote part of the Judean desert. Our kids took responsibility for their experience by being gracious in pairing up, by holding on tight, and by trying to engage as fully as possible not only with one another, but with the incredible beast that is the camel.
At the Dead Sea our kids took responsibility for their experience by following all the safety instructions, covering themselves and one another in mud, and then leisurely floating, content with what was and not striving for something that wasn't.
As a result of their taking responsibility, each of these experiences was infused with that special quality that makes an experience that much more satisfying, complete, and memorable.
After freshening up, we met in the lobby to take some pictures in our nice Shabbat clothes and then headed to a local reform synagogue. This community, Kehillat HaDror (The Jerusalem Free Synagogue) resembled Davis in some surprising ways. Most notably, it was housed in an elementary school. But there were other similarities including a moment of joyful dancing (yes, we ALL joined in) and also a special blessing for the children. As one of our kids gleefully exclaimed when the rabbi called up the children, "Hey, we're children!!!!" For those of us who encounter the all-too-rapid unfolding of the years, it was a sweet reminder that they're still kids. Maybe not "children" exactly, but still...
Returning from Shabbat services, we enjoyed the changed energy of Friday night in Jerusalem. The onset of Shabbat is a powerful reminder of what human beings can accomplish when we share values, share traditions, and share a vision for our world. As you likely know, there have been significant political demonstrations in Israel for the last 6 months. Divisions that, according to North American media, threaten to "divide Israeli society." Being here in Israel, it's hard to see Israeli society truly unravelling. There's just too much shared vision, shared values, and shared experience to make that unravelling seem like an imminent (or even remote) possibility. What's true for Israel is, funnily enough, true for the class of 2023 as well. These kids have been through so much together. In terms of worldview and life experience, they're much closer to one another than they can ever realize. Individually, their Jewish identities will never unravel. In the years to come they'll surely grow, evolve, and mature, but rest assured, they won't unravel. And what's true for them as individuals is true for them as a class. Four short years from now we'll see them at the Senior Sendoff. And we'll know then, even as we likely know now, that they share an unbreakable bond. And in the coming days that bond will grow even stronger as they greet each and every experience with a sense of purpose, enthusiasm, and, perhaps most importantly, responsibility for the quality of their presence in each and every moment.
No comments:
Post a Comment