Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Day 44

The time has arrived to say goodbye to Israel and begin a new and beautiful leg of my journey. And as excited I am for all that is to come, leaving sucks and I think that's just the way it goes. This last week I've been back and forth between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and to be honest it's been a hard transition out of the Kibbutz. Every morning I wake up to screeching rails and honking cars, leaving me homesick for the desert and it's beautiful and expansive simplicity. I never could have imagined I would miss those mountains so much, they've hardly escaped my mind since I've left. But as sad as I know I'll be when I board my 5 AM flight to Rome via Istanbul, I am grateful beyond belief for all these last six weeks have given me. May I remember these days as long as I live and may the lessons I've learned travel with me as a part of my being wherever I go!
And though it sucks to leave, I know I'm leaving on a truly ideal note. Tonight I went to the Western Wall to see Elan's swearing in ceremony and it was undoubtedly the most powerful experience I've had in these last months. There were endless rows of soldiers and even more families squished together to see the ceremony. I yelled for Elan as he walked in and he had the biggest most beautiful smile on his face. I was overwhelmed with so much joy and pride I could have burst into tears at any moment (I did cry just a little). After many speeches in Hebrew followed by a mass of "Amen" the soldiers were sworn in and given their guns. Every soldier seemed to have a radiant glow of happiness around them. What a blessing it was to be there!! I know I've said it before but I am so insanely proud of Elan and all he has done. I am full of gratitude that I've had the joy of witnessing him as he follows his soul's song (keep finding joy in challenge my friend!). And I guess it's time for me to continue following my soul's song too. When I went to the Western Wall when I was 16 I wrote a note asking the infinite universe to let me evolve out of my cocoon into a butterfly. Now I feel like the most beautiful butterfly in the world and this butterfly's gotta keep flyin.

the final falafel

3 comments:

  1. Beautiful pics! So glad you could be there! A little bit of home to watch over Elan!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Emily! I am Kim from South Korea.

    I am currently working for the 'Corporate Social Responsibility' company called 'Korea Gap year'. We are the first to introduce the 'Gap year' culture to our country. However, there are many obstacles since it is very challenging to Korean young students where everyone have been trained only to stay in a same path.

    We are trying hard to spread the idea of Gap year to tell the young people that they don't have to follow the same path like others do. We want them to build their own dreams!

    In part of promoting the Gap year culture through online media, we've been searching for a good story, a real gap year story. And finally, we visited your blog, "I'm on a Gap year! What a priviledge!", and strongly felt that it would be a such a great inspiration to the students here in Korea. We thought that it is because a true, real voice from somebody who's taking a gap year!

    It would be a great pleasure and help if we could put up your 'gap year diary' on our company blog!
    It doesn't mean that we ask you to write a gap year introducting story, but we just want to show your natural story posted on your blog.

    I look forward to hear from you soon!

    Take care,

    Kim.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Kim! Sorry to get back to you so late, I just saw your comments!! What you're currently working on to introduce the gap year culture to Korea sounds really interesting!! And I would be happy to share my story! But before you post my blog would you please send me your company information and website? Thank you! Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete