Getting ready to go

I am pretty much packed and ready to go. I started going through my old pictures when I went to Israel 32 years ago. I was 20 years old. I had just graduated from college and decided to pursue my dream of going to Israel and possiby making aliyah. I pretty much packed up my bag, had not contacted anyone in Israel accept my father's best friend from childhood whose son and daughter in law had made aliyah several years before. I had hand written them a letter (we did not have email) and after receiving a letter back from them, I knew that at some time I would end up at their kibbutz in the Golan Heights. Other than that, I had no specific itinerary and was not going with any friends. Here is a picture of me at 20 with back pack in tow at the airport. I was young, carefree and unafraid. I can remember that trip like it was yesterday and I remember details of things that have been imprinted in my memory forever. It truly was one of my most memorable times of my life. I also felt many emotional things being there, feelings that somehow got lost a long the way. I know that this trip will not recapture those feelings. I know that you can never go back to a place and expect to feel the same. Nothing is ever the same remembered twice. But that is okay. This is in a way a different type of trip. I am blessed to be going on this trip with my 83 year old mom who is full of life and spunk. How often do people get to experience a trip like this with a parent? I know that I will cherish these moments and that these memories will serve to form a treasure box in my mind where I can go one day when I need to go there. I will cherish every moment I have with my mom.

I am also stuggling with the notion of being away from DAvid for 8 days. For some of you, that might seem strange but for me, David and I spend a lot of time together and after 30 years of marriage, you pretty much feel a part of each other. He will be my missing piece and I will miss him very much. I very much appreciate his love and support for me going on this trip with my mom.