Like a Hummingbird
Israel was born from pain, each stone and shadow bearing the mark of an ancestral struggle. We must constantly justify our existence, a reality that shapes us but also imprisons us. When not confronted, this pain transmutes into fear, hatred, and sometimes into authoritarian tendencies that threaten to erode the fabric of our society.
Amidst this scenario, where suffering is almost revered as the only path to depth, I choose a different route: that of pleasure. This choice is not an escape but an act of courage, a confrontation with the reality surrounding us.
Pleasure is subversive by nature. It celebrates diversity, freedom, the joy of touch, and shared laughter. It’s a dance where everyone can participate, a chorus of distinct voices that harmonize in their plurality. It is precisely this characteristic that makes it incompatible with totalitarian ideologies. After all, there can be no tyranny in true enjoyment.
Finding pleasure amidst the chaos of Israel is discovering a clandestine beauty, an intimate revelation that whispers secrets to those who dare to listen. It’s in the laughter during a simple dinner, the warmth of an embrace, and the gaze that communicates without words. These subtle moments teach us to see the other as part of ourselves and to savor intimacy like a rare wine.
Pleasure invites us to dive into the present, lose, and find ourselves in the now. It’s an unreserved surrender, a continuous celebration of life and human connection. It teaches us to sing, not just moan, life with all its nuances, without fear or reservations.
Think of the hummingbird, that tiny dancer of the sky. Its wings beat frantically as it seeks the nectar that sustains it, a symbol of continuous pleasure and relentless pursuit of the sweetness that feeds the soul. The hummingbird reminds us that life’s most profound truths often reveal themselves in the most delicate creatures, subtlest moments, and gentlest touches.
Choosing pleasure is finding beauty in the ordinary, poetry in simplicity. It’s a wild act, pure, connected to our most primal essence. It is not bound by religion, morality, or dogma. It’s a courageous affirmation of authenticity, living without masks, discovering truth in the here and now.
As I navigate the complexities and contradictions of existence in Israel, I seek to be like the Hummingbird. I look for the beauty that hides in daily struggles and embraces the moments of joy that sustain me. In these instances, I discover the raw and naked truth of life in this land – a truth that, despite everything, can still be profoundly beautiful.
Pleasure, in its essence, is a mystery, an intense emotion that transcends words. It transforms cold into fire, absence into desire, and waiting into ecstasy. It’s loving without measure, with the voracity of one who lives each moment as unique.
In a society that often turns suffering into spectacle, pleasure teaches us to live, savoring each instant truly. It shows us that happiness lies in the small things we usually ignore, reminding us that, even amidst chaos, it’s still possible to find moments of pure joy.
Thus, I choose to be a tireless seeker of these small joys in Israel, a land of profound complexity, for it is in this search, I find not only pleasure but also resistance, hope, and, above all, the vibrant affirmation of life in all its fullness.