The Lull, part 23

Lull? Not so much: S'derot has been getting a steady pounding from Gaza. Qasam rockets hit the city square this morning. And there's no chance of the Palestinians running out of arms, because they are now getting Hezbullah hand-me-downs.

I spend the day avoiding the news. The information deluge is almost entirely negative: governement scandals, budget squables, ongoing terror attacks, and typical anti-Israel rantings by the foreign press. In light of all this, it becomes increasingly hard to maintain a cheerful perspective. In fact, I am feeling downright depressed.

It may be the flu talking—a low-grade fever and achiness that has kept me feeling crappy for the past week—but it may be Life. So I have a choice:

launch into a rant and drag you down with me, or...
try to think of some reasons why life is not entirely bleak.

I look over at Nadine, who is also feeling depressed this morning. She is worried about her best boyfriend, a mature, generously proportioned, fluffy ginger cat who sends her long and passionate emails from California. This morning's mail hints at possible kidney problems, and Nadine is concerned. A rant is clearly not going to make my girl feel any better. So I scoop her up and plop her on my lap, and tell her that life is not so bad:

1. We are not alone (I tell her). Israel has a few friends, including those plucky Aussies and a few honest Canadians. (Of course, if you want to be depressed, you can note that about 95% of all UN verbiage is anti-Israel speeches and resolutions.)
2. Sometimes, justice wins and people are held accountable for their actions, like the neo-nazi knucklehead in Greece.
3. Sometimes we do pretty darn well in sports for such a small country. Here's the year in review.
4. A few brave and creative people instigate a small change that could have a very positive effect on how millions of teenage girls view themselves. Read how Israeli fashion chains stop using emaciated models in their ads.
5. In the face of overwhelming odds, we continue to develop cutting-edge technology, including some of the world's best medical devices. (Of extra note is that this article is written by the very talented KK from Shorashim, our neighbors over the hill.)
6. We enjoy a level of freedom of speech and democracy that exceeds the standards of much of the Western world. Rather than using the ever-present security threat as an excuse for massive censorship and control, we've taken the high road. Our Knesset is widely diverse with parties that span the political spectrum; we produce newspapers in many languages and viewpoints; comics gleefully skewer all sides in political send-ups that would land them in jail in any other country in the region.

However, none of this impresses my girl. She stares at me and blinks. "We love you very much," I say, rubbing her ample tummy. "Do you want some tuna?" Pudgy legs kick wildly as she struggles to turn over. The meows are both frantic and joyful as she trots ahead of me to the kitchen.

Could it really be that simple? But maybe that's the secret, after all.

So here's wishing all of you a little love and a little tuna today.