The Daily Adventure aka Life

The Daily Adventure, aka Life

It all began in India last October. A thought came to me that it was time to sell our home. Clearing away twenty-three years of accumulated possessions left us free to choose what next. The ‘what next’ was to leave Australia for 5 months, which meant leaving four of our five children, my mother, my sister and most challenging, our gorgeous, divine, adorable granddaughter. But these two grey headed 60-plus oldies, felt the time had come to let go and let fly, so we boarded a jet plane with two bags each, summer and winter and smiles as wide the ocean we were about to fly over.

We have been ecstatically happy living an-adventure-a-day-kind-of -life whilst renting our friends apartment just out of Tel Aviv. Every day we wake up and over breakfast explore what  we want to learn today, who  we want to see today or where we want to go  today.

So choosing whether we will drive north, south or east (west is heading into the Mediterranean Sea) we set out to learn, see or discover somewhere new. The interesting part of this is that no matter where we think we are going  we always experience something unexpected.

 Take today for example. Today we didn’t decide on an place in particular except we went in the direction of Bazra. Within five minute we found ourselves surrounded by thousands of orange trees whose branches hung heavy with juicy, warm, ripe oranges. Sudanese and Asian orange pickers perched high on turquoise ladders, red scarves covering their faces picked and dropped countless oranges into blue crates. We could smell the oranges from the car. Two men came to our car and offered us a couple of oranges. I was, at that moment reminded of my grandma Millie who was not big on giving presents but would give my sister and I an orange occasionally. If only I had appreciated those oranges as much as I appreciated these.

 

The trip to Bazra turned into a jaunt to Rishpon and that turned into discovering an outside shop bursting with exquisite Indonesian and Spanish furniture. It just happened to be their third anniversary and so we were offered champagne as we walked around and marveled at a dining room table made from the wood of old boats. And that turned into an accidental discovery of an outlet-shop selling clothes by my favourite Israeli designer, Dana Ashkenazi. And yes, I found something I didn’t need, but love anyway.

Recently Israel celebrated its memorial day, Yom Ha Zikaron. Just walking outside one felt the heaviness of grief and loss in the air. So many many thousands of lives have been lost since the establishment of a ‘safe’ homeland for the Jews 66 years ago. Stories from wives,  mothers and children, young and old, retelling the events that took their loved ones away played all day on the television. The weight of sadness hung like rain clouds bulging with a million tears. Allowing myself to feel this and to weep with those who have lost a loved one may not be regarded as an adventure but it stretched my heart a little wider.

How and when can this land  become truly safe? Will our children live to see a peaceful Israel and a flourishing Palestine? No one knows. We all pray. Soon.Whether it is to Elohim or to Allah the mothers, the wives, the children, we all want peace. Please God. Inshallah. Soon

Living every day as an adventure is almost addictive. Planning something new no matter how small has become the only way we leave our apartment. Chores such as buying dishwashing liquid and some veggies for dinner become an outing. Whether by foot or car we begin a new adventure the minute we wake up. I have always looked forward to seeing my clients but  I never regarded our sessions as adventures. I do now. The experience of not knowing what will happen, who will I meet in this client today heightens my sense of wonder and anticipation.

I don’t think I have ever truly lived this way before. I have talked about it, have created some wonderful adventures, but living life as an adventure? Not  consistently. Not like this.

Once again our suitcases are packed and tomorrow we board a flight to Copenhagen to visit our youngest son. Then on to Italy and beyond. We have no idea what this adventure holds in store for us. We have no idea what life in general holds in store for us. But by taking a few minutes every day to create something to learn, to see or to discover, life, my life has been enriched a thousand times over.

 

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