When it seems there is nothing left, there is still heart and soul.
Around the world there are people busy spreading hate, shouting about killing Jews: “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free (i.e. free of Jews)” and “Too bad Hitler didn’t finish the job”. In Gaza there are people actively trying to kill us, bombarding our children with missiles and planning terror attacks in to our towns.
In Israel we are focused on each other, on protecting homes and lives. Many are grieving; many more are struggling with wounds from Hamas attacks.
Parents send their children to the army. They don’t go for the fun and adventure. They go because it’s necessary to protect our family and friends from people bent on destroying us.
Parents spend years doing everything they can to keep their children safe until suddenly, the tables are turned and the children become the protectors.
Israeli parents watch with pride and carefully concealed terror when their children, now soldiers, go to battle. Every wounded soldier might be their soldier. Every car that stops outside their home, every knock on the door, might be the army representatives coming to tell them that their beloved son (or husband and sometimes daughter or wife) is dead.
When soldiers are brought wounded to the hospital, a new more private battle begins. The battle for recovery can take years, sometimes complete recovery is not possible.
Parents of the wounded race to the hospital and then have to wait. Watch and wait as doctors battle wounds to repair the body. Wait for each tiny step in the healing process. Now closer to their child, they are still fairly helpless. What can be done but watch and wait?
When it seems there is nothing left, there is love.
In this clip you can see the Israeli singer Muki using his song “Free Heart” to pour love in to a wounded soldier, to boost his healing strength. In this small way he could give back to those who had given everything to protect us all.
Watch the clip, the face of the reporter describing what happened – it’s not the words that matter, it’s the emotion. Muki explains, that the people he met in the hospital were revealed in all their glory and beauty (of their souls) and he hopes that the people of Israel will be able to hold on to the knowledge that this is who we are, also when we are not in the midst of a crisis – because that is who we are.
Watch Muki sing: “Free heart. Today my heart is free, no chains, no more worries…”
I don’t know how this will affect non-Israelis. Can you see the love? Can you feel its power?
This is our strength. Even when nothing is left, we still have heart and soul.
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