A while ago, one of my very good friends here in Blogland asked me how my English, which was so bad at first, improved so much. I told him that I learn languages quickly, and it's true. I learned German as a child just by listening to conversations between my mother and grandmother, and that's how I also learned French and even Yiddish from neighbors' conversations on the street. There were many Holocaust survivors among the neighbors at the time, and almost everyone spoke Yiddish when they didn't want children to understand. I understood. From here I also moved on to thinking about how goals change, there were times here in blogland when I was looking for security and support. During times when it was difficult here (back then I didn't know it could be even harder), every kind word gave me the illusion of protection and I looked for it, although it was only words, but it was also something. At the time, there were two strong and sturdy American men who were very supportive of my blog and who I was, until one of them wrote to me that he could no longer withstand the attacks of the trolls that came to him because of me and he disappeared, and the other stopped writing for his own reasons. The heroic men left me alone in the battle. When the really tough times came on October 23rd I noticed that there were people who couldn’t operate in a vacuum and needed someone real to vent their anger, opinions and feelings to, and they turned that on me, as if I really had any influence on what was happening around me.
Someone even asked in their post if they could ask me to tell our government to do all sorts of things.
I became more cautious and confused. Old friends disappeared, but new and wonderful people arrived, and for that I am grateful. I'm still very cautious and also busy with this strange adventure called survival, a kind of real-time reality show. I don't drive at night because you never know if there will be an alarm, about once every two days I run to the shelter, if I finish my shower at the time I like I see it as some kind of small victory or miracle, I recognize an adventurous part of myself that tells itself what interesting and crazy times we live in, but inside me there is also a cowardly woman who is equally frightened by the sounds of mice at night. A picture of my daughter, from a long time ago.
It is very sad when friends either drift away or turn away from us. At times like these we need more friends don't we.
ReplyDeleteThank you JayCee, you were here the whole time and I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who knows you a little needs to hear that you're OK, surviving. It's one hell of a life. It is a real time reality life. The norm for you now is be ready, be alert. Stay safe!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope one day soon your daughter will be able to ride her horse carefree along that beach again.
Thank you Linda. You do understand the situation exactly as it is.
ReplyDeleteYour voice has been vital one for me in these times. It's good to hear from you, your posts from the heart. To know something of your life, your survival.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely photo of your daughter on the horse, riding by the exquisite ocean on a blue sky day.
My daughter has been the horse whisperer since she was a child, for many years, despite everything, there is also a beautiful life here like in many other places in the world. Thank you for being here.
DeleteIt is so good to hear that you are safe. I cannot imagine living like you have to, always being ready to run to the shelter. Will there ever be peace and security for you and your country? Why is there so much hate and cruelty in the world? Surely most people just want to live a good, normal life.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter on the horse at the beach - what a wonderful picture of peace and happiness. May those times return soon. I hope and pray for you, your family and your country.
Hilde in Germany
Thank you Hilde, I'm also waiting for better days here.
DeleteI think of you often. I think like Hilde above. We all look forward to times when peace will come to your region; as it inevitably will. And to Ukraine as well. But for the moment, stay safe!
ReplyDeleteSo you probably know who the good friend who asked me is...
DeleteI just found your blog recently, it's a window into another, very real, world, one filled with uncertainty and turmoil which I hope will soon end.
ReplyDeleteI'm very glad you're here, I'm trying to tell a little about what we're experiencing here.
ReplyDeleteIt seems strange that guy stopped reading your blog because of "the attacks of the trolls" that came to him allegedly because of you. You're not responsible for his trolls! And there are a million ways to control trolling. Seems like a specious assertion on his part.
ReplyDeleteI tend to believe people and I believed him that he was bothered by the trolls, but now I honestly think that maybe it was for other reasons as well. I didn't block the trolls because I've always been intrigued by the pathology of hate and so I could explore it with my own tools.
DeleteI am glad you continue to blog Yael. You are a window into a world I can barely comprehend. I pray for you and yours, stay safe, stay strong.
ReplyDeleteThank you Margo.
DeleteA question my spouse always asks is "How can you blog with that woman if she is anti-Semitic?" Even though we never, ever, ever discuss religion.
ReplyDeleteBecause noone on the planet agrees with EVERYTHING on the planet that I value - socialism, feminism, vegetarianism, free health care for all citizens, free universities etc.
Anti-Semitism is based solely on hatred, it's not like the other examples of disagreements you wrote about.
DeleteGood to find another post from you Yael, and to know that you are still OK. I don't know how anyone can live with the knowledge that they have to rush to a shelter so often. I don't delve into the politics of wars, I just feel so sad for the innocent people caught up in them.
ReplyDeleteMy eldest son's house has a concrete shelter just outside the back door.( a relic of WW2)....steps go down into it and there is a " rockery" on top of it! . I haven't been down. ( spiders?)
What form does your shelter take?
The shelter was built of concrete in the early 1950s. There are twenty steps leading to it underground. I don't know why it was built, but no one imagined that it would serve as a shelter from ballistic missiles from Yemen. At least once a week we spend time there with the neighbors, their small children and the dog. The atmosphere is quiet and good there despite everything. Thank you, Frances, for being here all this time.
ReplyDelete“ I recognize an adventurous part of myself that tells itself what interesting and crazy times we live in, but inside me there is also a cowardly woman who is equally frightened by the sounds of mice at night. ”. This moved me
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear friend. I just got back from the shelter. I got a warning on the phone and went there, went down the twenty steps underground and was there alone this time. There was no alarm here but I heard all the ones in the small towns around me, I heard the explosions of the interceptors and after ten minutes I was back home. Strange times indeed.
ReplyDeleteThe photo of your daughter on horseback is delightful and speaks to the beauty in the world. We've a bumpy road ahead of us here in the states, but nothing like what's happening in your region. It's can be hard to keep one's chin up; I have often felt like folding in on myself and tuning out.
ReplyDeleteI remember your mentioning knowing German due to your family connection. Ich wünsche dir alles Gute, Yael! x
Thank you Bea. I am glad to see you here again.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and have followed it for a number of years and often send you supportive comments. I thought you stopped blogging. Anyway I am glad to see you here. I am a Christian who supports and cares for Israel and for you.
ReplyDelete