just discovered Daniel Gordis

Shalom u'Vrakhah, Everybody!
I apologize in advance. This blog's intellectual level is about to drop to the depths...of a baby and pre-schooler's!
You see what happens when one goes to visit one's married daughter and grandchildren? One's life COMES TO A COMPLETE HALT! I have not been as exhausted as this since my kids were little. I am running around doing a little cleaning, laundry, helping take care of, drive to camp, cooking a bit and feeding and bathing my grandkids - not to mention changing stinky diapers (sorry, mentioned them!). Suddenly, I don't have a life.
Actually, in truth? I didn't have a life before I came here; NOW I have a life: Being involved in my daughter's & to a lesser extent, son-in-law's life (and he is like a son to me), getting to know my grandkids and instilling in them (I hope) a bit of Yiddishkeit -"B. V. G." - 'before visiting grandkids' - THAT'S when I didnt' have a life; I just looked back at my recent posts; what sort of person blogs three times a day? I must have been delusional. Actually, I had nothing worthwhile to do!
Now, I am loving them, alternately being stern with them ("these are Savta's rules. Let's see who is the best listener!") and cuddly/kind with them, singing to them in Ivrit, changing them (POOF! you're a frog) in Ivrit, playing with them, etc. etc. And, although I am too pooped to peep (!), I am happy. Hope my daughter is, too.
So, what does all this have to do with the price of noodles-er-I mean, the title of this post? I'll tell you what. My daughter forwarded an email to me, which was Daniel Gordis' latest Dispatch. And so, I discovered Daniel Gordis.
Daniel Gordis (www.danielgordis.org) is Vice President of the Mandel Foundation - Israel, and the author, most recently, of Coming Together, Coming Apart: A Memoir of Heartbreak and Promise in Israel (John Wiley & Sons, 2006).
My daughter sent me the dispatch on Life Between the Sirens. It hit home. To all you Israel lovers out there, and also to all of you who have doubts and concerns, these are the reasons for us to support the State and live in Israel.
It is 1:50 a.m. where I am. I am tired. I have to get up at dawn (it'll feel like dawn when I get up) and help my daughter get the kids ready for camp. Just promise me you'll read the dispatch, will you? It'll make my day (night, whatever).
le-hitra'ot!

Comments

Jim said…
I raised a lot of kids, now grown, now they have kids, it is a life, a REAL one. And busy, tiring, but hugely rewarding, still, blogging is fun.

I will, just for you, read the article. Thanks.
1:51 AM
kasamba said…
It sounds like you are really enjoying them!
2:17 PM
Lady-Light said…
Jim:
Thank you for reading the article 'just for me'. That is very kind; just how many kids did you raise? And yes, blogging is great. It just doesn't pay the rent!
Kasamba:
I am definitely enjoying them, but they are a handful, and I don't know if I have the energy to do it on a daily basis. A visit is one thing, but...
5:45 PM
Jack Steiner said…
Not that it matters, but for a number of years I attended camp with Rabbi Gordis, back in the days when he was more commonly referred to as Danny.

He is a mensch and an excellent writer. He does a very fine job of telling a tale in a way that keeps the reader involved.
9:13 PM
Lady-Light said…
Jack, isn't it interesting to see what path our friends and acquaintances took in life? Did you ever envision him as making Aliyah and becoming an author(although that is not his profession)? For that matter, did you ever envision yourself doing whatever it is you are doing now?
7:42 AM
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