Strong winds

Winds the last couple of days here have been really strong. From a fifth floor apartment in Jerusalem to a second story place near Bethlehem, it feels like the air is really trying to push through buildings - or topple them.

I'm locking up for the night, and closing storm windows that I usually keep open for early sunlight. And I feel inside a kind of excitement - like there's an unknown in the wind, a fascinating power, and a little potential danger.

Side note: mom, don't worry. The foundation of this house is strong. Its not like Grayton Beach where everything is made of balsa wood and up 16 feet above sand on flimsy stilts. Stones here are heavy and the houses are well-built.

So this winds thing got me thinking. There's some symbolism: how exciting it is to be in a place where things are uncertain (things at home are uncertain, but this is more so), how thrilling it is to admire sheer force (of wind, of military might, etc), and how much faster my heart pumps where the possibility of danger is high-er/maybe.

I'm not writing this to say that my Middle East trip is simply thrill-seeking, or even that I feel at risk (I don't, mom, I promise). But I am just kind of thinking and exploring people's (including my own) interest in "conflict zones" as a heart-pumping experience. Interested in hearing your thoughts in the comments below.

Here's an unrelated picture of Karym fixing a flat tire: