Is this mystical or what?

Part of yesterday's potluck brought me in touch with many peace workers I knew. One of the guests staying at Ibrahim's was there - this young English man. I wondered why he came here, thinking Jerusalem's pubs were much more to his liking. But I discovered another person inside those street musician's clothes. He had taken a strong liking to the UK girl who he met at Ibrahim's - to the point where even I caught a strong vibe between them. And it wasn't only me, it seemed that everyone noticed it too. But she left on Wednesday and he seemed very alone and very vulnerable.

"She was so lovable to me" he admitted. She didn't reciprocate his attentions though and I think it made him a bit sad.

During dinner, while we were sharing about ourselves, the person next to him told a story.

"I'm a psychotherapist. This girl complained to me about not being loved, but she did have someone who loved her dearly. She just couldn't see it so she thought she was unloved. And with this we can also thnk that God doesn't love us, when in fact He does and it is just so powerful - but many people can't sense it and can't feel it."

I was sitting there thinking this is the story of UK Man and UK Girl too - isn't it? She had written me previously saying she had come to Israel looking for God, and he was searching as well - he said he had Jewish ancestors. And so they ended up finding each other. Perhaps that is the reason they were both here? Because God is inside most relationships (except mine, of course). Maybe they both don't realize this yet, but it seems like a good story, that can become real, or can just fizzle.

UK Man shared his story about how he thought the end of the world and redemption would be here 6 years ago. And there is so much divine music that he hears but everyone in the UK always disses it. So now he thinks the world is going to hell. And then he wept bitter tears. But instead of everyone thinking he's next in line for the loony bin, everyone there recognized his tears were real, deep and because he was in spiritual pain. It's rare to find someone who shares spiritual pain so intensely in public.

People tried to console him - one woman said that there are 36 righteous people in every generation which enables the world to exist. Others told stories of King David and the Prophet Elijah who complained that God is hiding from him. Even the Biblical leaders had spiritual pain - which was recorded for all eternity.

But I figured the tears could have been a real mixture of spiritual pain and the plain modern fact that he was missing his UK girl.