Just listen.

It’s funny. We all know that we can’t possibly know everything in the world there is to know, yet we act like we do. It’s so hard to just release our grasp on a certain concept and walk away from it, realizing that we just can’t understand.

I feel like this is partly why religion is so difficult; those who believe in G-d can’t really even understand G-d b/c He is beyond the kind of thing we’re used to seeing or thinking about. We’re constantly personifying Him, constantly saying things like, “I’m sure G-d is too busy to care,” etc.

Aside from that, though, is realizing that a situation that a person is going through could be completely beyond our understanding and/or experiences. Lately, I feel like the drama of life is totally overwhelming everyone I know all at once, and situations are sounding familiar, but just aren’t. I keep wanting to tell my friends that I know what they’re going through, but… do I?

I mean, you’d think I would know. I’m constantly telling my friends they don’t know how my mother is no matter what kind of strict parents they have; constantly falling short of an explanation for my heartbroken behavior that some friends feel I owe them, since they have either only been through crushes of lesser significance or have only fallen for guys who were just not so nice, to put it lightly. But it’s still so difficult to just relinquish understanding and give unrelenting support.

It completely sucks that we keep telling people we know what they’re going through, and then they eventually get so frustrated that they stop asking for your support, and then when all you want to give is your support instead of your “total understanding and sympathy”, they don’t want it anymore.

The truth is, no one wants to hear your examples of what you did and where you came from and why you’re such a hero. They just want you to listen and be there for them in their time of need. And for some reason, it’s just hard to do.

Probably because people just don’t know how to deal with others being sad, angry, or any other negative emotion. People panic and think that they just have to help and try, but to no avail. What we all kind of need to realize is that most people don’t want help, they just want your ear to listen, your shoulder to cry on. If they ask, “What do I do?”, then answer. If they say, “Can you help me?”, then do so. But if not, just listen.

Living life elsewhere.

So I read over this blog and (a) it is self-indulgent, no way to avoid it I guess (b) I have not written in ages.

Seeing as I don't really think anyone cares and I don't really want to write in here anymore b/c I'd rather keep things to myself, I'll share a random thought I had that has not much to do with anything and then continue with my life.

I've been in Israel for a few months now. Pretty cool, but I still miss America. Do you people who are still there even realize how privileged you are? Let me count the ways:

• All TV websites stream to you
• You have Target, Costco, and other places where things are sold cheap and of normal value
• American products don't cost you 3 times the price
• Your tap water tastes fantastic, and yet you waste money on bottled water
• EVERYTHING IS IN ENGLISH
• Access to phenomenal concerts
• Dollars, and not an inflated currency like the shekel
• Sundays off
• Thanksgiving -- enough said
• People smile & don't push you and have sympathy (at least in L.A.)
• Your public transportation sites have MAPS
• Every street has a street sign SOMEWHERE, even if one has been stolen or vandalized
• Directions consist of street names, not "straight, straight, left, right, keep going"
• The customer's always right

There are things I like about this place, however. Like the fact that I don't feel like an outsider for not celebrating Christmas, b/c instead of Santa and his reindeer and any song about snow or Jesus playing all over, there are Chanukah songs and menorahs everywhere. For once around Christmastime, I'm still proud to be a Jew. I kind of like having Fridays off to prepare for Shabbat, even though I crave the freedom of Sunday. All the buses say "חנוכה שמח", or "Happy Chanukah" right now, and they display appropriate holiday messages throughout. EVERYONE I have EVER known who is my age is in this country right now, so reunions are abound. I barely ever have to worry about kosher food. For once, I can eat lunch at the mall, or even the movie theater! I also like having my independence here, but I guess I'll be getting that in college too. Still, having a large time gap kinda has its benefits. And man, THEY HAVE COFFEE BEAN HERE. I was told it was crappy, but it's not; just a bit more expensive. Funny how they have Coffee Beans in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Singapore, Shanghai, and Sydney, but not the east coast of the United States. I will be a very sad college student. And hey, at least I don't have to start getting used to snow here. It doesn't snow here in Jerusalem, or even in Tel Aviv, my favorite city here. It's so weird: the beach here is 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer! At home it's 10 degrees colder. So in the middle of December, you can still wear a t-shirt in Tel Aviv. Sweeet. I thought I only had that luxury at home! And also, I at least speak some Hebrew; if I'd gone to Spain or someplace, I'd be royally screwed. Especially since most people do speak English here. I've been told that were I to go to any other foreign country, I would NOT be as lucky.

On another note, it's so strange: I've been living here. Living. I pretty much know my way around, I buy groceries, learn, eat, sleep, hang out, and meet people here. And have a good time. Even though I'm always thinking about home, I kind of want to merge the two lives and just kinda be in both places, even though I'm pretty much exactly halfway around the world. Even though my parents were here not too long ago for a visit, I'm okay with just checking in with them, talking to them once in a while, seeing them a little bit. I like being on my own.

Another random point: I never knew how awesome people could truly be. Everyone in my high school was always the same, and kinda blah. Here, I meet people who truly have their own identities, who love the little things in life, who want to do what they love and don't need to wallow in the superficial forever. They're still from America, but are seriously awesome.

I love life experience.

Bye for a while. =)

Life. It's more valuable than you realize.

So today, I was kind of getting frustrated with my computer and my sisters.
And then my dad told me that two people he knew died of unknown causes. One of them sat 2 seats away from me at a dinner last summer. And now she's no longer with us.
Made me realize how little my problems were, and that I should just calm down and take a deep breath whenever I get stressed about such little problems, because really, life is so much more than just whatever goes wrong in the moment.
I'm not saying it's bad to get upset; we're all human. But I feel that I really need to work on myself and put things more in perspective.

Calm down, deep breaths
And get yourself dressed instead
Of running around and pulling all your threads and
Breaking yourself up

Life is unfair.

You'll just keep hoping things will turn out great, or even just good, and when they turn out completely wrong, you get totally pissed. But really, it's all because, well, life is unfair. We need to get used to it.
And it's really freaking difficult.
But as someone pretty damn wise once said, everything turns out right in the end, so if it's not right, it's not the end.
Optimism is good for your health sometimes.