24 August 2006

for revital



I was all set to complain about our upcoming move. I was. I've been writing it all in my mind for the past two weeks or so, muttering it under my breath like a crazy person. I was absolutely furious over having to pay 25 dollars for one gallon of paint the other day, FURIOUS and I've been all schlumpy in the shoulders over the amount of painting that needs to be done to the new house in the next several days before we move in. I've been feeling sour with no intention of sweetening anytime soon. and I was all prepared to share the sour.

and then I got an email from revital monday morning. back in mid-july, revital sent me the most magnificent color-iffic blue and brown swap package. the day it arrived, we'd been looking at house after house after house and I was feeling fairly sour then, too. I resisted the urge the rip it open and let out a little gasp of surprise when I saw that it had traveled all the way over from israel. israel! a few weeks earlier, I'd sent my blue/brown package to norway. I'm loving this globalness, I thought. with ava right by my side (and breathing excitement down my neck), I carefully opened the brown paper package. oh, we marveled at the goodies inside and the way it was all so lovingly packed. chocolate bars and rain-scented soap from israel! papers and craft supplies! and the handmade items-- magnets made to look like little chocolates (good enough to eat), a sparkly mobile (which ava laid claim to almost immediately), a hand-decorated journal (for my travels, she said), a beaded bookmark (because she noticed my love for books, she said) and my absolute favorite-- a hand-beaded ring (pictured here on ava's hand). I was deeply moved by the amount of thought put into the package, the loveliness of everything and put it all back in the box the way it came. just so I could re-open it again and again.



so we've been trading emails back and forth and all that is going in israel has not gone undiscussed. but this month has been particularly horrible for revital-- bombings all day long, completely unable to go out in the light of day, scared beyond words for her family, her friends, herself. she craves normalcy, friendship, kind words (don't we all). but truly, can you imagine? I'm not about to get all political (as I so easily could)-- it's not my style. I'm just asking: can you imagine what this must be like? because I can't. and I've been seeing it all on tv and reading about it in the newspapers and listening to reports on npr but I'm not sure I really really got it until I read revital's email monday morning. suddenly, my outrage over having to pay 25 dollars for one gallon of paint seemed absolutely ridiculous.

and I feel so powerless. I hear her and I want to help, I want to say something that will help. what she wants more than anything is the normalcy, the friendship. and that is the one thing I am able to give her. it's a drop in an enormous bucket, but it's something.

so, dear revital (if you're reading): thank you. for the most gorgeous package and all the heart and thought that went into it. but also for opening my eyes in the way they needed to be opened.

and everyone else reading-- if you're feeling it-- leave some words for my girl revital. my guess is she could use the diversion. she would welcome the kindness.

17 comments:

  1. You move me to tears...

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  2. the thought of your friend revital putting together this beautiful package for you in the midst of that chaos is enough to bring me to tears. i don't know what else to say. what an unbelievable treasure she sent not only to you but to all of us that read your blog. not just a gift of 'things' ...... but a bigger gift of....perspective.

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  3. I, too, am in the midst of a move.And I have been freaking out over the fact that I have to go through my enormous pile of JUNK and get my beautiful house ready for the market so I can buy another, bigger, more beautiful house. Thank you so much for sharing this today. It truly is a lesson in perspective. Revital's beautiful gift to you, and, through you, to us, will echo in my mind's eye. Good thoughts I send to her, along with fervent wishes for peace.
    Thank you,
    Julie

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  4. It was such a cool moment when you showed me the package with your eyes all big and wide, and exclaimed, "It's from Israel!" What a fantastic and beautiful package revital made for you. We could tell it was put together with tender loving care— all the way from a war-torn state. Reading this made me force back the lump in the back of my throat, realizing that yes, even in the midst of the bombs flying through the air, this friend from an ocean away found the time to try and be normal and put together something so beautiful and creative. Revital, our love goes out to you and your family. Thank you for the gifts—the physical one you sent to our home and the emotional one deep within our hearts.

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  5. peace peace peace peace peace
    I cry daily listening to Pacifica Radio - you just pulled water from my eyes. I shed tears because this is not happening to THEM it's happening to US. WE ARE ALL ONE and the kindness she shared with you is the kindness you share with me and the simple act of sending love and compassion out - THERE/HERE/EVERYWHERE. that is true power! push it along.

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  6. andrea.... you are so good.... so sorry about the stress of moving... but it will be over and i'd be a bit excited to re-arrange all your cool stuff. if you aren't have me come over... :)

    and to revital... i can't even fathom what that must be like. the noise, the fear, the hate in the air.... and still she manages to find beauty to send to you -

    bigger perspective indeed... thank you friend.... xo

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  7. no, i cannot imagine. i lay in bed and try to imagine. i put my heart as close to israel as i can and try to imagine what these people just like you and me are experiencing at this time, in this hour. May God bless you, Revital, and your family. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Thanks for a great, grounding post, Andrea.

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  8. You really moved me to tears as well, your writing is really lovely Andrea. That package, oh that package! Everything is so pretty and there's nothing I love more than foreign candy wrappers!
    I feel so powerless about what's happening in Israel and each month, as I go for my conversion classes with my rabbi, we talk about what's happening over in Israel, sombering discussions without much ability to come to any conclusions.......thank you for pulling my head back out of my arse, because it's so easy to forget what's really important instead of being bogged down by all the day-to-day that seems so frustratingly important.

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  9. Im going to have to explain to my boys why Mommy has tears in her eyes right now. Your post is overwhelming! It is an amazing tribute to the role that we women play in the world...the ability to find beauty in chaos and also to be able to care for another when your world might be falling apart. Thank you for the reminder that my world is not the 4 walls that currently surround me. And Revital, I dont even know what to say here...I am at a total loss. Im sending many prayers and well wishes for peace your way. Many blessings!
    Eren

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  10. andrea-
    thank you for this post. you offered me such a gem of perspective this morning, a gem i desperately needed. thank you. thank you.

    hugs to revital, a brave brave kind and wonderous soul. hugs.

    nina beana

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  11. it really can be easy to contain our life to "to do lists" and daily tasks. but there is so much more, and you have reminded me of this.
    there is so much more.
    Andrea thank you for sharing your gift.

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  12. What a lovely gift. Both your swap package and the reality check.

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  13. It is so true, we often forget what wonderful things surround us... I pulled an angel card yesterday and it read "Gratitude" I have been trying to remind myself to be graticous for all that I have... this post helps to solidify it...

    wonderful goodies by the way!

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  14. This is so cool. I know you must be stressed over the move. What a great friend you have! I kept imagining two hearts connecting from worlds apart. Gosh! It makes me want to grab a box and surprise someone with a special package! Kindness and thoughfulness resonate in ways that are priceless.

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  15. to revital, sending you lots of love and light.
    to andrea, blessing to you for moving to a "new" house together with family.

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  16. i felt the same way when i opened a package from lilziv...with all that is going on she still sent my package and i haven't sent hers because they put a restriction and i can only send priority and that is over thirty dollars and i can't but then i think i can, i should...i have other mailings to send out that will add up to that amount maybe i should just hold off on those and send hers...but then i think what if it doesn't get there? and then i think i am selfish all over again. i ache everyday with what our friends are going through. i ache so much i cannot breathe. i ache because i want to help but how when i can't even seem to mail a simple package...

    my heart and soul go out to revital and lilziv and all our other friends. my heart goes out...

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  17. this all frightens the hell out of me. i think of things like this daily, how unbelievable it must be for these people to face these things especially with young children by ones side. i can't even imagine. and thanks to revital and you for reminding us to get perspective - what an amazing package she sent - beautiful things, beautiful !

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