No playground here

Since arriving in Palestine-Israel, I've thought of (and been gently reminded of!) numerous times of this blog which I created before I left home. But each time the thought of summing up all that's taken place in the invariably growing number of days I've been here has crossed my mind, I've been paralyzed at the mere thought. Three weeks in, I've decided I simply need to get over that sense of needing to convey everything, and just start posting whatever seems relevant at the time I do a post. It helps too that I'm finally feeling over that initial transition period, that always takes longer than I'd like, no matter how many times I travel to new places.

I find it ironic that I decided, at the end of May, to title my blog "oneplaygroundofaworld". While I've certainly felt that way for periods of time in the last year or so, in this moment, I do not at all carry that sentiment. The Middle East can't be called a playground (at least in the way I had intended it to mean) when you open yourself to both sides of the story.

While I'm not sure I'd ever be able to experience complete and constant love and awe of this place some call Israel, others call Palestine, and I'll refer to as Israel-Palestine as many others do, that's not to say it's not incredibly beautiful, fascinating, stimulating, sacred.. it is! but, also exhausting, heartbreaking, anger-inducing and so so complex (I'v never felt a situation so perfectly aligns itself with that word).

Now that post #1 is complete, I'll feel more free with the next one to just do and say what's on my mind, rather than explain and introduce (not that this post provided much of that anyway!).

Tomorrow is Friday, the beginning of the weekly Jewish Shabbat. With it comes a greatly welcomed peace and quiet in a usually bustling Jerusalem city. In the early afternoon Cathy (my supervisor at Sabeel) and I will head to Tel Aviv, where she's catering her niece's Bat Mitzvah. Along with taking in such a cultural affair, the Bit Mitzvah, I'll help prepare the sushi and spring rolls (..going Asian is a lot more easy than trying to prepare Kosher finger foods).

PS: As anti-Facebook as I secretly wish I was, it's made it eaaaasy to post pictures of my adventures in the Holy Land thus far! You should go check those out for more of a sense of the past 3 weeks of my life.

A Song: The World is my Playground

There's too much seriousness today

Everybody's got to work and save
Nobody's got the time to play
But me, well I'm okay

People planning for future days
But I say live for today
Leave tomorrow's plans alone
Live for today before it's gone

'Cause the world is my playground
And in it I will play the games of life
Yeah the world is my playground
Won't you come and play with me?

Early morning, the sun creeps out
Behind concrete, glass and steel
It lights the way to a land of play
With treasures to reveal

Take the plunge, let go
Of all that you've been told
Take my hand, walk through the land
We'll find that pot of gold

'Cause the world is my playground
And in it I will play the games of life
Yeah the world is my playground
Won't you come and play with me?

Sometimes I play with others
Sometimes I play alone
When everybody knows my name
The sun goes down, comes 'round again
And being a seesaw rider ain't the same

Late at night, full moon
Tomorrow's sun will be here soon
Don't you worry 'bout me
I'll be fine just wait and see

Come join me, we'll go
Where no one else has gone before
You and me, me with you
We'll never be alone

'Cause the world is my playground
And in it I will play the games of life
Yeah the world is my playground
Won't you come and play with me?

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Copyright © 1992 John Wu