I find I become very fond of people and things with whom I share certain experiences. I am, for example, very fond of my BYU Jerusalem backpack and wore it as much as possible after returning. Now I am very fond of this green, Northface backpack that I shoved full to its utmost and carried with me 30 or so miles in the Jesus Trail. I'm fond of my shoes that carried me, and with minimal pain. And, of course, I'm especially fond of the friends who walked it with me, who endured the heat with me, sang with me on the trail.
I likewise feel very tender about my mission companions with whom I experienced such great challenges and sorrows, triumphs and joys. Something about experiencing joy and/or sorrow together truly binds people together. One day I'll tell you my thoughts on this regarding the early Mormon saints and the strength their deep trials gave them, binding them together in a unity that nothing else could create. But that is not for today.
Speaking of joys and sorrows, I am very dearly attached to my family. I waited many years with my parents for my brothers to join us, and I have endured much with them, because of them and for them. And I love them all the more for it. I have grown close to my mom through this as well, as we have talked and cried together, I have tried to give her comfort and strength, courage to continue on and keep hope and faith for better days. In many ways, those better days have come.
The same principle applies to my scriptures. Certain passages, stories and figures are precious to me. They have given me strength, perspective and peace. They have taught me of my Savior and how to be like Him, as well as how to grow closer to Him. I have felt His voice through them to me. Have have been with me, sometimes more intimately than any one person, through some of my most challenging and heartbreaking moments.
I realize, of course, the foolishness, even futility, of my fondness for objects that go with me on my adventures. They will not be with me eternally. I suppose a part of me even mourns that fact. But I rejoice in the certainty of my eternal relations. I know that I am sealed to my dear family. I don't know exactly what eternity will be like, really, but I know I will be with them. And I sincerely hope my relations with others will also remain. It always pains me so to lose them. In any case, these are my ponderings.
It is now 7:23 a.m. and I am in my hotel room in Tiberias. It is such an oasis from the 6-people dorm of Abraham Hostel. I am certainly not complaining about the Abraham - it is a great experience at a great price. But, as we have established, sometimes I am overwhelmed by too many people I don't know. So, I was just enduring. But now, in my quiet, airconditioned room (boy, is it nice and cool - just the way I like it!), having slept comfortably, with minimal noise, through the night, I'm nice and fresh for this Sabbath.
Yesterday was a day of miracles. I got up at 5 a.m. to do my laundry before I packed it away and drove up here; and I also got up early to go to battle with the airline. I have been trying to get an earlier flight home. I am desperate to try to see my friend Karina who is very ill in the hospital with cancer, and my brother Cisco, whose graduation I had to miss, has a football game that only the best players in the state are asked to participate it, and I want to go. (Why, you ask, didn't I simply purchase my ticket with that in mind? I didn't know the date that early in advance.)
My mom had been told the day before that the "discount" ticket I had purchased would not allow me to change the ticket under any circumstances. I just couldn't accept that - plus, I had purchased flight insurance, for crying out loud! What good was the flight insurance if there existed no circumstance under which I could use it?
With great determination, and a number of sincere prayers, I called, yet again, the airline (I can only call with the internet, since my phone is turned off for calling purposes while I'm here; and, as we have well established, the internet is anything but reliable - my calls kept getting disconnected). I had to talk to various people, and the whole conversation lasted a little over an hour, during which time the call never got disconnected (miracle? oh yes!), but I got it! And it didn't cost too terribly much - just over $300. That is astounding! They never once said anything about my ticket being unchangeable "under any circumstances." Either that lady that talked to my mom was simply out to get people with cheap tickets, or she was delusional. I don't care. I was very pleased, and so grateful.
I set off down Jaffa St. to the car rental place, and from there to Tel Aviv. Yes, I braved the insanity of Tel Aviv. I was supposed to meet up with a friend, but she didn't get back to me in time with the address (I think something came up for her), so I grabbed lunch, then drove up to a little town called Binyamina, south of Haifa. It was a lovely drive - rolling hills and even some more flat areas (all around Jerusalem there is not a single flat area - it is either sharply up or down - thus, the song, "Far, Far Away on Judea's Plain" is very much a misnomer), mostly agricultural.
In Binyamina I met Maoz Inon, the man responsible for creating the Fauzi Azar and helping to create the Jesus Trail. He was there with his family, and his two rambunctious boys made our conversation rather choppy. But they were adorable. He's a very kind, down to earth guy. He gave me some fresh watermelon and we talked about how this whole Jesus Trail thing came together, as well as the Fauzi Azar. I also discussed with him my ideas for creating a scholarship fund for Palestinian students. He had some wise counsel. At the end, he offered me a gift of a bottle of wine, which I declined as politely as possible, citing my Mormon faith. Then, with a kiss on each cheek (which was how we greeted as well), I was off.
When I got back in the car, I realized I had left the GPS in its holder on the front window, and it had been baking in the heat. The light on the side said it was on, but the screen wouldn't show anything. I thought I was finished - not only would I have to pay to replace it, but I had no idea how to get to Tiberias, or my hotel, from there.
I spent several minutes trying to cool it down (it was even burning my hands), finally with the air conditioning blasting on it. That worked. I somehow figured out how to turn it off, cooled it some more, waited about 5 minutes (during which time I prayed most sincerely again), and restarted it. Worked like a charm. So many blessings!
I had another charming drive up to Tiberias. I passed through wooded, I kid you not, wooded hills/mountains, and more agricultural areas. The last leg carried me through some of the parts of the Jesus Trail, and I gazed around reminiscently (was that only just a week and a half ago?). Then I decided I wanted to drive around the Sea of Galilee. So I turned off the GPS and did it. Lovely, again. I found the Mount of Beatitudes and stopped to catch the hours. And then I made my way, without the GPS still (I like to roam a little sometimes), into Tiberias. Then I allowed the GPS to guide me to the hotel. And here I am!
The final word in this very long (I know) posting is about the dinner. By the time arrived yesterday (at 6) I was really starving. I had eaten my lunch at 12, and it was only a small salad, as I still had hope of getting together with my friend. That with the watermelon at Maoz's was all I had had. And my tummy was not pleased. The hotel has a restaurant/dining room, but it didn't open until 7. Well, right at 7 I went right on down to the dining area, and sure enough, I splendid, colorful array of food awaited me. The guy who runs the dining room guided me to a table - and I had the entire place to myself. He and another guy watched me fill my plate with all kinds of salads and cold foods, twice, and then with hot foods. I felt rather awkward, of course, eating all alone in the big room, with them having nothing else to do but watch me, but I also felt rather like royalty! When I asked where everyone was, they said they would come after synagogue. Ah yes, Shabbat. Anyway, I will share with you as many of the dishes as I can remember - it really was quite the spread! And the herbs used in the foods was such a contrast to what I'm used to. I had to try as much as I could possibly squeeze in! This made for a very full belly.
Among the salads and cold options was a type of cabbage salad with vinegar and dill (this was my favorite!), as well as some sort of baked squash with a creamy sauced on top; baked eggplant with some sort of tomato sauce (I didn't care for this as much); a more familiar lettuce salad with sprouts in it, with three dressing options; there was a log of some kind of pressed...something (I don't know what, but I think it may have contained fish, among other things - also not my favorite); beets; some sort of salad of shredded carrots and cilantro. That was all for the cold. There was also a garbanzo bean soup, and various other cold items I didn't get to try. In the hot section, I got roast beef, legs of chicken, roasted potatoes, and some sort of fish steak baked in a tomato sauce. Oh, and the desserts - three kinds of pastry-like cakes/loaves. I tried 2.
In addition, I got talking with the other guy (who wasn't the maitre d'), and in the conversation it came out that I'm Mormon. Turns out he knew all about the Mormons! Even when polygamy ended. Kind of fun.
In addition, I got talking with the other guy (who wasn't the maitre d'), and in the conversation it came out that I'm Mormon. Turns out he knew all about the Mormons! Even when polygamy ended. Kind of fun.
And that, my friends, is that. I didn't manage any pictures for the day, but I hope you enjoy picturing my dinner in your minds. Now I'm going to see what breakfast brings!
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