In the land of Jews

I had the privilege of visiting the Asian nation called The State of Israel due to my husband's work commitment. Little did I know that the country has an amazing heritage and urbanity.

Tel-Aviv City (PC-Shikhaa Sharma)

We flew via El Al airlines from US to Israel and back, which apparently holds the world record for most passengers on a commercial flight (1088 passengers). We were destined to the financial hub of Israel, a city called Tel-Aviv. While we had our reservations about the safety and war between Israel and Palestine, delving into some research revealed that Israeli defense forces are one of the most battle trained forces in the world. During our walks at the the Tel-Aviv beach, we felt as safe as in Delhi or NYC. In fact, Israel is the second largest defense equipment supplier to India after Russia. During our dine outs at the Indian restaurant, we met some defense personnel who came to Israel for defense equipment training.

Also, contrary to popular belief Israel is not a Muslim country. The majority of the population constitutes of Jews, who follow the religion of Judaism (Yahudi, as we know in India). Apparently Jesus Christ was a Jew as told to us by an Indian restaurant owner, who himself is an Indian Jew. So yes Jews are different from Christians and Muslims. There are places in Israel where the Jew, Christian and Muslim population co-exist such as the old Jaffa Port. It is one of the oldest sea port in the world.

Old Jaffa Port (PC-Shikhaa Sharma)

Israel is a country with a visibly young population and only ten percent of the population is above the age of 65 years. During our excursions in the city of Tel-Aviv, the numerous restaurants were filled with young people enjoying the euro cup with a beer mug. 

Also, unlike America, people here are pretty fit  always running, cycling or swimming. The fitness is due to the fact that every Israeli citizen, male or female, is required to serve three and two years respectively in the compulsory military service.

The place is not conservative, again contrary to popular belief,and the PDA was more than I have witnessed in any American city. Israel is the only nation in Asia to recognize same sex marriages. Tel-Aviv is one of the most friendly cities for gay in the world and the fact was very evident during our walks at the Tel-Aviv beach in the evening.

Hare Rama-Hare Krishna Society 
member of Israel (PC-Shikhaa Sharma)

My favorite moment in the land was encountering a Hare Rama-Hare Krishna brigade singing and dancing by the beach. It was in the evening when we were returning from our city tour and walking at the beach side and heard chants of Hare Rama-Hare Krishna on dholak beats, it was truly mesmerizing.

Hubby leading the Hare Rama-Hare Krishna dance group (PC-Shikhaa Sharma)

During my research, I came across below facts about Israel

• Its the only country in the world to draft women into its military service.
• Israel is so small that one can run through it east to west in two hours flat.
• Jerusalem, which is one of the oldest cities of the world and a holy land, receives about a thousand letters each year addressed to god.
• All Pakistani passports bear the inscription, "This passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel."
• Dead Sea in Israel is the lowest point on earth
• Apart from Silicon-Valley, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies in the world.

Happily Satisfied or Satisfactorily Happy

So it seems that I have reached at the top of the pyramid called Maslow's hierarchy of human needs or its an early onset of mid-life crisis. But whatever it is, it has forced me to put my thinking cap on and ponder upon important aspects of self actualization/fulfillment. Lightning struck soon after leaving me wondering, What is more important - Happiness or Satisfaction?

Happiness is a state of mind, a positive emotion which brings a state of well being. As an individual we all indulge in positive sensory experiences do things, look for things that make us happy. Satisfaction is about meeting an expectation, being content with life and being sufficient enough in your own ways. And yes, satisfaction is definitely not an emotion. It may be apt to say that money can't buy you happiness but those who have it, know the satisfaction.

When people say that satisfaction lies in having all the answers to the problem while happiness is having no problems at all, I scratch my head hard thinking about the innumerable possibilities of problems occurring in our grand dramas of life.

It’s worth thinking about standards of a satisfied life and the possibilities for happiness and joy in our lives.

Seeking the Great "Perhaps"

We live..we die, and everything in between is our quest to attain an insight as to why we were here in the first place.


Sitting in my patio under the afternoon sun and looking out at the brown-green grass carpet around me, the simplicity that I see around is in direct contrast to the complexity inside me. And here I mean, the complexity of my mind and heart not in the routine way that they work, but in the psychological way.
We all undertake the arduous journey of life in search of our Great Perhaps, be it going to school/college, getting a job,seeking for our soulmates or towards a goal of sacrificing and giving endless love during parenthood. The only "If" is that - If we were empowered enough to see the endless train of ramifications that result from our smallest hooplas. If only...
The only way out of this labyrinth is to never get hopeless and continue the search. Because..
"Without hope life is meaningless. Without hope life is meaning less and less."

Whenever one sits back and think in retrospect, there would be a zillion moments where just a thought about, "Perhaps", would have changed the course of our lives.

During our times on earth, there would be so many of us who would have to live with things done and things left hanging on any day. Things that could have gone right, some that weren't meant to happen or things that seemed OK initially. But because we cannot foresee future, clinging to that "Perhaps" is all we do at the end of it.

P.S. - "I go to seek a Great Perhaps" were the last words of the poet Francois Rabelais. And these words have been  talked about in the book "Looking for Alaska" by John Green, in great depth.