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- Young and Innocent
In this issue: Young and Innocent, Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed
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Ah, to Be Young and Impressionable…
I was at a graduation event last night for SciTech, a summer camp for high school kids from all over the world.
There was the usual rah-rah from administrators.
A few of the kids performed (quite well, I may add, with real talent) on the piano, viola, violin, even the drums.
Lots of kids from America, but also from Brazil, the UK, France, Belgium, Australia and a few others.
They came here for a few weeks not so much to do research (anyway, it wouldn’t be very serious, if they did), witness some of the great science and technology being done/built here, tour Israel, hang out and enjoy the summer, taste the food, etc.
It wouldn’t be anything but a really cool summer camp, if not for…
Ya know, the whole political upheaval / Israel’s identity crisis thingie blowing up right at the same time.
Talk of impending civil war, enemies licking their chops to destroy us.
Not exactly light fare.
To be frank with you, even though the legislation passed not even two week ago, it feels like ages.
The wine festival was helpful, along with some time off, finishing teaching my course and submitting the grades.
Finishing a big and annoying project at work also helps.
Kind of feels like it’s in the past.
But the tensions are still simmering.
The protests are still ongoing for the 33rd week in a row.
And here we are, in an auditorium, celebrating graduation from summer camp.
I admit, there was a bit of eye rolling at first.
I know the American kids from NYC, with their hooting and hollering of “USA! USA.”
They thanked the camp admins, the guides who led them, showed a video from throughout their program.
All that’s great.
I never went to summer camp, just tennis camp twice when I was a kid.
It’s cute, it’s nice. Nothing against the camp or the kids.
The speeches were heartfelt.
But I was tired and a bit annoyed for having to cover this event after hours, when I just wanted to be home,
But what happened next really shook me out of my stupor.
A girl from Brazil, Lana, who arrived in Israel after a few weeks in Nuremberg, Germany (imagine the contrast!), got up to speak.
Speaking from the heart (and then after the program, when I interviewed her), she said that aside from enjoying the trips and the hummus and falafel, she broke through a lot of stereotypes about Israel and Israelis on her trip.
Israelis are very warm and welcoming (and after you become one, very direct). Whereas Germans, in her mind, are direct and… not quite as warm, apparently.
She went for the first time to a synagogue, touched the Western Wall.
She really felt something special here.
The thing is, she’s not even Jewish, but rather Catholic.
It’s always incredibly inspiring how non-Jews feel about Israel after visiting it (not after watching the biased news, who paint it as a land swimming with terrorists ready to blow themselves up, as a country about to explode in civil war, occupiers, startup people, etc.).
Our societal fabric is much more complex — and frankly, much more interesting — than whatever wrong-headed caricature the media makes it out to be.
We’re much stronger than our enemies (thank G-d), more united in practice through having no alternatives, by both the expensive and logistical constraints we all face here, as well as by the happiness we feel (4th happiest in the world!
No cynical campaigns by protesters, internal or external, can take this away from us.
Many Israelis feel this implicitly by living here.
When it comes from an outsider, it’s all the more stark and impressive.
After all the speeches, musical performances and photos with flags for the donors and parents, the kids ran off to eat their dinner.
I made my way home.
The conversation with Lana stuck with me.
She’s probably 17 or 18, still very much young and impressionable.
It’s nice to speak to someone not yet sanded down by life, who can still see things with fresh eyes, change her mind and be open to other viewpoints and experiences, not just follow someone’s set narrative for what she should see or how to see it.
I’ve always considered myself not just an eternal optimist (with a strong realist streak, nonetheless), but also even physiologically, child-like in being able to regenerate wonder in even the same experiences.
Let’s say smelling flowers I’ve smelled while hiking.
Or visiting the same place I’ve been to many times (maybe the Western Wall, as an example).
Or re-reading the same book.
Looking into my children’s faces and smiling from joy.
Feeling incredibly lucky to be with my wife, even (especially) after 13+ years together.
And so on.
But the truth is, some days, things don’t work, we don’t get enough sleep or eat the wrong food.
And we forget, we get cynical, we go down the wrong rabbit hole of negativity.
So it’s really wonderful to get a reminder about that child-like wonder.
Not just about nature or one’s own family, but about the state of things in the world.
About the miracle that is the land and nation we live in.
About the incredible innovation happening here at the Technion in so many different fields.
About the importance of one’s work - in my case, storytelling.
Moments and reminders like this, I certainly don’t take for granted.
I’m no spring chicken (at least on paper, haha), but I know the value of thinking and acting like one.
And just as importantly, it’s important to learn from actual, young and impressionable spring chickens (maybe spring eggs? LOL), not just by re-reading books with them, but by asking them questions about what they see, how they experience the world, what they want from life, etc.
It’s not the originality that counts, but rather the freshness, the naivete (even innocence, often enough).
We all need renewal, the older ones among us, even more so.
I don’t know if you’re having a good day or otherwise as you read this.
No clue if life is going well for you (G-d willing) or not.
No idea if things are on the upswing or on “temporary re-adjustment” mode,
But I can guarantee you that either way, if you want to feel good or better, just be a kid.
Or if you can’t so easily, go find some kids.
Ask them questions, ask for their impressions.
Let them talk, don’t talk down to them.
You’ll really be surprised how they can refresh your own mind frame, maybe even help you clear your own windshield from the crap that drops on it as you drive throughout the days.
Either way, have a great of the week, amigos!
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Whether it’s the first time, or if it’s just been a while, let’s connect and get to know each other (better) as humans.
If we haven’t connected yet, connect with me on LinkedIN. I post some super useful stuff there, as well :)
Put 30 minutes on my calendar to chat. No strings attached, whatsoever.
Let’s get to know each other (in many cases after not chatting for a long time) as humans, friends.
Of course, if there’s something I can help you with, just ask and I’ll do whatever I can to ask.
Don’t be a stranger, friend.