Want a bit abroad
Succinctness is the life breath of wisdom said the sages, and they usually knew what was right. Having rendered succinct the ideas underlying the 34 projects that went up to the final stage of the Project of the Year Competition, my writing gland has become succinct as well. It happened precisely when I sat down to write to you, dear reader, without whom, you know, no editor has existence.
I usually wait till something happy or particularly annoying has happened - it inevitably widens my muse carotid. But nada: the world cooled off following the article we wrote about the urgent need for climate-aware planning, Olmert has apologized for the Winograd notes, Sderot has gotten used to living with the Kassam rockets, and even Zelicha has resigned.Do you have any ideas, I asked someone a table away from me. Yes, she replied with the naivety of a newcomer. Write that we have a wonderful country, and that only whoever lives abroad can appreciate it. A real epiphany, I thought, but still nothing to write home about. Especially as long as deception prevails among those who should be setting an example, as long as bullies with overblown jeeps weave in and out of lanes and cross red lights, the culture-less dump their garbage in public, and on polluted beaches racket players noisily expose their model figures.
I once read a story, she went on with the patience of someone educated in Switzerland, about a desperate woman who came to the Rabbi of Kochek to pour out her woes: the shutters in our old house are creaking, the children are running around the streets instead of doing homework, my husband has no money to change our old car, and he gave me a card on our anniversary instead of jewelry. I’ve despaired of my miserable life, Rabbi. What can I do?Look at my face, said the Rabbi of Kochek. What do you see? I see a scar on the right side and a lot of black stuff on your nose, said the desperate woman. That’s exactly your problem, determined the Rabbi with the satisfaction of a shrink. Look again. I have two eyes to see the world, a nose to smell tobacco, a mouth to eat herring, and a smiling face on a head that honorably brings bread to my family. Now think what you have: a house to live in, happy children who enjoy their life, a car, and a husband who loves you enough to remember your anniversary.
It took me no more than ten minutes to get the point: we have a country to immigrate to from abroad, cheats who are willing to work as politicians, a jeep for every bully, solar boilers that provide hot water when it’s hot, cars we can throw garbage from, a beach to pollute, and bodies of models we can fantasize about.Dear reader - either the Rabbi of Kochek has never been to this country, or I need to live a bit abroad.
architect Dr. Ami Ran
בניית אתרי אינטרנט