First Day in Jerusalem - The Gift of Exploration

Greetings from Jerusalem,

I'm very happy to be here, once again, in my second home! I've been intrigued by and drawn to this area for the past 11 years now. The energy and spirit of this place is simply captivating to me!

I arrived less than 24 hours ago, and am settling in to my home base for the next 3 weeks.

One of the things I'm most pleased about, in my life, is that I seem to be able to 'make myself at home' wherever I am. I'm comfortable in a wide variety of settings and cultures. I love to experience new and different things!

In the diversity of all the places and peoples that I visit, I learn new things and expand my horizons continuously. I find that very exciting! At the same time, however, it all seems somehow familiar to me. The human family, however diverse on the surface, is deeply connected by the common elements that make us all the same. The deepest desires of the heart are the same... no matter who we are or from what tribe or group we hail from. That 'sameness' is comforting to me, and enables me to connect to anyone, regardless of how different we may appear on the surface.

Traveling for me, has been a great teacher. Learning about the diversity and the common threads simultaneously is a fascinating and enriching endeavor.

As I journey here with my Jewish and Arab (Muslim and Christian) friends... and meet up with other peoples who are here in the holy land for various reasons... I feed some of the deepest parts of my soul.

Reaching out to learn about 'other' people is always something that will broaden and enrich our life experiences. It is fairly easy to do, no matter where you live. Trying new types of food, attending cultural shows, visiting other places of worship (different from our own), reading books, watching documentaries... all of these endeavors can widen our perspectives, increase our wisdom and heal our world.

I'll be sharing some of my experiences as I journey here... and hope that you will embrace the spirit of exploration... where ever you currently find yourself!