Pt 1 here #497735

As soon as I was able to see the land out the plane window I reacted in an unexpected way, I was so excited as it was my first overseas trip. I was smiling and happy when suddenly waves of sobbing washed over me, I was shocked at this response as I felt no sadness, it was if my body or soul was reacting to something far more than I understood. I felt somewhat embarrassed and told myself to stop, but I couldn't. I tried to understand what was happening, my friends seemed to be joyous and also concerned about why I was crying. The best way I can understand it was my soul felt rejoined, relieved, as if it had finally arrived at a predestined spot that had been agreed to a long time ago.

By the time we arrived in Jerusalem it was 11:30 pm, my friend and I were so excited there was no way we were able to sleep, we decided to head out to the old city.  Walking with no fear we made our way to the gates where we met a young Arab boy who insisted on helping us.  As he guided us around the edge of the ancient city walls the anticipation was growing, we rounded a corner and the wind blasted across my face and I saw an entire hillside lit up like the day, it was all white and I gasped at the sight, I had no idea what I was looking at and could feel my heart bursting.  I said "What is this???"  They responded this is the Mount of Olives, and those are the limestone graves of so many Jews buried there in anticipation of the Messiah.  Verses from the Bible leapt to life from the vision of the home of so many corpses.  

The next morning we rose and I asked that if we could first go to The Wall. Known to most in the West as the Wailing Wall where Jews have wept over the destruction of their Temple for thousands of years, now known as the Western Wall. I had a mission. During our stop in Toronto I had a peculiar incident with a very pregnant woman. We were on the bus that was transferring us to our next gate, she kept staring at me, uncomfortably so. When we got up to get off the bus she walked up to me, " I overheard you say you were going to Jerusalem, my father has passed away and I am on my way to his funeral, could you please take this note and place it in the Wall for me?" I was astounded and assuredly granted her request "It would be my honor". She thanked me and we hugged. I placed that note in my passport bag I kept under my shirt.

As we approached the wall, the age of the stones and the thousands of notes tucked between the cracks full of prayers to the God of Israel reminded me of my insignificance. A small grain of sand washing ashore the vastness of time. I prayed for this woman and her family while I found the perfect spot, and slipped it between these old stones placed there by devout holy men. I walked away and sat on the ledge of a small embankment waiting for my friends. Taking in the sights and sounds, the beauty, the reverence, when my eyes locked with a timeless gaze.