Passively

Today I passively demonstrated, nothing formal. I wasn't part of a group, that's besides the T'hilim, Psalms, in the morning. Today I left the emotional comfort of Shiloh and Jerusalem. I went to Tel Aviv, and I wasn't part of a massive quarter million or more.

Just me!

I went to visit my daughter. I wore my orange flowered skirt, and I had an orange ribbon on my bag and and orange bracelet on my wrist. I was dressed just the way I'd be dressed in Jerusalem. That, too, is a demonstration, a very passive one.

And I wasn't the only one in Tel Aviv, adorned in orange.

But I felt fiddling, and I wasn't helping to put out the fire.

I was pretty lucky in catching the bus out of Tel Aviv, back to Jerusalem. But then my "extra half hour'' got lost in a traffic jam. and according to our progress, I'd be missing my 8pm bus. The old me, the way back when me would have gotten totally hysterical. Waiting an extra two hours plus, a tragedy? no longer

As happens on public transportation, I found myself speaking to a total stranger who was sitting next to me. "yes," I informed her, "looks like I'm missing my bus." And she also kept track to see if I'd make it.

"I can't get upset," I risked telling her. "There are people, good people losing their homes, businesses, work, everything. How can I get upset over a couple of hours?"

"Yes, it's horrible, evil what the government is doing. I voted for Sharon and I'm sorry I did. He's a dictator."

On the 480 express between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, we all agree.

And just in case you're curious. I did get there after 8, but I figured that there was nothing to lose, so I ran, really ran through security and upstairs. I wanted to see if my bus would be conveniently late. It was late yesterday, not a rare occurrence. I saw a bus; the door had just closed. I ran out; it sort of looked like 178, but it could have also have been 170 to Beit El. The driver opened the door. "Is this the 178?" "Yes." "Do you mean that you were waiting specially for me?" I asked him. "Of course," replied the bus driver.

The driver explained that there are delays, because there aren't enough bullet proof buses available. Many were sent to Gush Katif.

HaShem YiRachem