شكرا and תודה

Everyone is intelligent in some capacity.  I'm convinced of it.  

We all have some area that are brains are naturally inclined towards.  

Some of us find those inclinations and we spend our energy pursuing them.  Some of us push against those inclinations and we spend our energy trying to create someone that was never meant to be. 

I think about this every time I listen to a naturally gifted public speaker captivate an audience.  Verbal charisma.  

I think about it every time I witness a kid try to make a layup during basketball tryouts and throw the ball over the backboard.  Maybe they're really good at singing?  Maybe they should sign up for chess club?

I know my strengths.  And I know my not-strengths.

I'm not linguistic.  I don't pick up on languages easily.  I have to actively try.  To listen.  To practice.  To work.

Eight years in Washington Heights gave me enough of the Spanish language to understand conversations and speak some semblance thereof.  But if you are a linguistic learner and you we're me, you would hablar mucho.

One day, I will hablar mucho.  One day.

Knowing that language isn't my gift has limited my desire to add other languages to what's in my brain.  I'm not going to speak three or four languages fluently.  It's just not n the cards.  So I save all of the linguistic space that I have for Spanish.

That means that even after being in Israel for a month, I really bank on meeting an English speaker when I have to go to the bathroom or find the bus.

Without trying to brag, I did learn one word (in arabic and in hebrew) while I was here.  I learned how to say, "thank you."

شكرا and תודה

It's honestly all that I've needed.  I can express myself to the point of getting my point across to anyone.  And when I do, I simply say, شكرا or תודה, respectively.

I don't need anything else.  I just want to say, "thank you" everywhere I go and for everything I experience.

Thank you, Israel.  Thank you.

You taught me more about the world, about the Middle East, about life, about people, and about myself than I had expected.

Thank you.

You showed me those that love their enemies and turn cheeks to look oppressors in the eye. I see these and want to be like them.

Thank you.

You showed me oppressors that disenfranchise the least of these in order to gain political power.  I see these and want to be the opposite.

Thank you.

You introduced me to the land, to people living here, to ancient ways, and to life woven through us all.  I want to always remember.  Always.

Thank you.

I want this to be the posture of my heart in every moment of my life.  I want to say, "thank you" for this moment, in every moment, always.

I'm glad I learned a new word.  I'm glad I learned it in two new languages.

I'll be wandering these streets for two more days.  I've got the bag on my back and the shoes on my feet.  

And I've got thanks in my heart.

I don't need more.