Nostalgia

It's fun to look back on all the blog's that I posted during my 7 months in Israel. I must say that I wish that I'd been more diligent in keeping things updated. It's always hard to stop and document what's happening when you're living in the moment.

I know that I've changed and matured while here (it's impossible not to). It's similar to making pottery ... you mold it when the clay is still soft, but until you fire the pot it hasn't really taken shape. I would say that living in Israel has been like going through the firing process ... not always pleasant, but the end result is amazing.

I came to Israel looking for one set of answers ... and I am going away with a completely different set. The experiences that I've had here and the lessons I've learned about myself are NOTHING like what I thought they would be. But I think that perhaps THOSE lessons -- the ones that surprise you -- are the most valuable. I came wanting to contribute to the understanding of and conversation about religious through archaeology .... and I'm leaving wanting to contribute to that same conversation through interfaith dialogue and education. I came wanting to learn more about Judaism and eschewing Christianity ... and I'm leaving with a rich understanding of how the two faiths intersect and are related. I suppose I'm a good example of the saying "Man plans and God laughs" because I came here with so many plans ... and one by one realized that my perception of who I was and what I wanted did not accurately reflect my true personality, perhaps even soul.

I think that the most important lesson I've learned is that while having a direction and a plan is IMPORTANT, keeping your eyes and heart and mind open to what life/God/Fate throw your way is equally important. Being blown by every chance wind isn't going to get you very far ... but putting your head in the sand will take you the distance and you'll be miserable the entire time.

Life is a journey, enjoy the ride.