From Sharon to me:
I did it!
After I talked to you I bought tickets. I fly out tuesday morning and get to
I feel really good about it. I will be in
more soon. Haven't been able to get a hold of aba yet.
From my father to me:
Ruty,
Please do not consider going to
I just spoke to
From me to my father:
Dear Daddy,
I am struggling with at the moment is what feels like a lack of information. I can only make good decisions if I have good information, and the information I am getting right now is spotty at best. Sharon told me that she heard from Ima that Savta has been asking when I will be there. For me, this is a very compelling reason to go to Israel. My plan is to go for no more than a week. It is written in my contract that I can take time off for family emergencies, and not only have several of my friends volunteered to cover my classes, the university is also very willing to let teachers make up classes when needed.
My idea in going to Israel is not that I can somehow magically cure the situation and make everything better. I am no doctor, oncologist or geriatric specialist, I am going there because it is where I want to be.
If you have any further information related to the situation that may influence my decision, I would be very interested to hear it. Otherwise, I will be meeting with a travel agent today to look at my flight options.
Ruty
From Mr. Ma, the travel agent:
I spoke to my mother on the phone yesterday and she is still firmly committed to the idea of me not coming to Israel. She said that it is depressing and that she would rather I remembered my grandmother as she was before this. She has moments of lucidity when she recognizes people and moments when she does not. Between the pain meds, the anti-nausea meds, and the cancer itself, she is pretty out of it.
I told my mother that I heard heard that my grandmother was asking for me to come visit, and she replied, "So? She always wants you to visit" and then she added a phrase in Hebrew "lo shayach" which roughly translates as "it does not contribute." Basically, it doesn't matter what my grandmother wants. Odd.
Sharon should be in Israel by now, so I am going to take Sheri's advice and check in. Israel is only six hours behind, so they should be awake soon . . .
5 comments:
Talking to Sharon is a good idea. I'm still strongly in the "go" camp, though. Let's put it this way: there are few things in my life that I regret doing, but many many things that I regret not having done.
Yes. I definitely agree with Mary. You could either appease your parents by being obedient, staying in Kunming, but risking the possibility of regretting this decision for the rest of your life. OR, you could have your parents irritated with you for a few weeks but see your grandmother for what *could* be one last time. Does it really matter what she looks like or the fact that she seems to drift in and out of consciousness? The important thing is that you will be there to hold her hand when she wants to you.
Since I live with both of my grandparents on my mother's side and one of them just got lost in downtown Olympia yesterday (causing me to go on a search throughout town), I can kind of identify with the feeling of being concerned for the elderly.
If it were up to me, I would zap you to Israel right now!
One of the things I have found odd about myself is that I don't really seem to experience regret, per se. I experience plenty of embarassment where I look back on a particular memory and go, "Oh shit. I wish I hadn't done that." But when it comes to making calculated decisions, somehow no matter what I choose, I commit, and that makes it so regret doesn't seem to play a role in my life.
On the other hand, there's always a first time.
wow. i hope this all works out, hun. your parents seem to have forgotten that you are no longer a child and that you can and will do what you feel is right regardless of what they think. whichever you decide, good luck.
I'm not entirely sure that my parents have forgotten that I am no longer a child, I think they are utterly convinced that I am no longer a child with the sort of conviction only people who are very wrong about something can have. Funny how that works out.
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