I was up bright and early to meet the group to tour this day. Although I was going to leave Daniel with his class alone , he agreed that I could take advantage of joining this guided tour since I would like to learn more about it and intstead of joining a group of strangers It would be alright to join them if I didn't interfere too much.
We began at the City of David that was beyond remarkable. The walking and stairs were extremely difficult for me and I saw how hard they were on Daniel. I refrained from too much interupting but made him take some medication when necessary. I nearly collapsed at one point and holding up the rear of the group was just an excuse at this point. I could not keep p wih the class. I will be honest.We had but on over 10 miles and mostly vertical before noon. The excavation sites were phenomenal and as we crossed the street and saw the new finds just found the old city came closer and closer into our sites.
We regrouped and entered the gates of the old city and went directly to the Jewish Quarter. There were several lessons and sites along the way and then we approached the wall.
My heart literally skipped and my breath left my body. I am not religious. In fact in these past many months I have questioned my faith and there is not a person in this world that would not understand this. But here now in this place there is not a person alive that can not feel G-d in this place. I mean feel, taste, hear, see, smell, sense with every cell in your body the power of G-d. It makes you cry, it makes you tremble, it makes you stop in the moment. It is said that in this place it is the closest you can physically be to G-d and all I wanted to do was be there and say thank you and present Daniel to G-d and say thank you again and again. And that is exactly what I did. I eventually approached the wall and cried. I cried and I cried. I cried in sadness and I cried in thanks. For those lost and those saved and for those that helped and for those I love. I couldn't be with Daniel at the wall so when I pulled myself together I went to watch him. I wondered what was going through his head and if he had that moment. It was none of my business what his thoughts were. They were his. But then I saw him with his friends and I cried again to see his joy. I cried that he could be there and that we could get him there. I was so emotionally drained but so spiritually full.
There was more to the day and more to the trip but to me this was all it was about. This was THE PINNACLE MOMENT we all worked so hard for. The goal. When the kids all gathered again together for pictures they hugged and danced and rejoiced. I don't know if they realized what it meant to me. It was big for each one of them and probably life changing for each one of the kids in a way as it should be but this time for me it will be like no other time. I can't think if this place without crying and I don't know why. It is the most beautiful place in the world for the spirit. I put many notes in the wall with messages directly to G-d. Some for friends lost, some for those in need. Mostly thankful prayers for those who have helped get us there on that day. So many emotions evoked in this ancient place.