Today marks 17 years since I boarded a plane to Tel Aviv, one-way ticket in hand paid by the Israeli Absorption Ministry and 100 kg of my most precious belongings packed in cardboard boxes. I was 21 years of age, young, naïve and very much in love.
To leave everything behind was a conscious decision, one I knew I had to make in order not to regret it for the rest of my life. My philosophy was then, and still is today; what is the worst thing that can happen? That it doesn’t work out? Then I go back with the knowledge that at least I have tried.
Looking back today, my life turned out very different from what I was imagining in my teens. According to then, I would now be a doctor, living with my family and raising by kids in Denmark. Instead I am here, In Israel, bookkeeping and helping others make order in their finances with my Israeli kids and Swiss husband!
So far, it has certainly bee ride with many ups and downs. Getting used to a new place, a new language, a new culture is not that easy and takes time. I have won; an amazing life partner and incredible kids, gained knowledge and discovered strength that I didn’t know I had, and I have lost; the proximity to my family and friends as well and the materialistic comforts of the society I left behind. And the fun (!) fact that while I now speak many languages, I am no longer perfect in any of them…
We never know where life leads us. Life is full of surprises, unexpected events and maybe even destiny. We mostly have no or little power over the things that are happening to us, but we do have the choice of how to react, relate and deal with those things. The least we can do is choose to try – maybe we will succeed and maybe we won’t, but at least we will have tried. The choice of whether to sit back and let thing happen to us or consciously trying to change – that choice is ours.
Sitting here today I can honestly said that I am happy and do not have many regrets. I have won and I have also won, but most importantly, I have tried and made many choices that I believe have lead me to where I am right now. What the future will bring, no one know, but it will most probably be interesting!
Leave a Reply