Does anyone remember Walter Cronkite?  A news anchor whose morality always stirred me, he had a program that relived historical moments called “You Are There,” and it always ended like this “What kind of a day was it? A day like all days, filled with the events that alter and illuminate our times.  And you were there.”  He brought me into the Boston Massacre in 1775, the death of Socrates, the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  And he made me feel what it was like to be part of history. 

One of the many emotions I feel in this land is the involvement in history – the good and the bad times.  I feel that everything I do makes a difference. 

But in the past few years I’ve felt that my presence doesn’t matter, that this tiny country has lost the ability of the individual to influence it, to create a better history. 

But when I see the people – the way they’ve been working together supporting each other in so many ways – transcending governments, going beyond the expected of regular people –  I am overwhelmed.  It’s not just the expressions of love and care for the hostages, the generousity toward all the refugees.  Look at my day.  Well, not all day – but we had covid shots at the health clinic – 2 Arab nurses shot us up, and both made sure we were comfortable after that.  And then at the pharmacy, the grocery, the builders –  Despite everything that is going on here – the prejudices and the hatred, the bombing, the reasons for hatred, divisions – people can transcend – and I am here.

I’m going to try harder to be There.