Week 20: Personal Stories and Loyalty Put to the Test

Last Friday, Yoala was still abroad, and I decided to return to the crime scene - to Piccolo, for a repair attempt. I also had a brave plan. During the week, I selected a story from the storyteller's book I bought just before we flew out for each person. I adhered to the instructions we received at the collegium and chose a random story for everyone. Each one read their story, and we talked a bit about it with Mati and Michal. When Friday arrived, I hurried to send Yoala a story and suggested she join us for a video conversation at the restaurant. I prepared the kids in advance, explaining that each would need to tell their story in a few sentences. Somehow everyone received a story that suited them, and Michal even accused me of cheating, saying that I knew all 333 stories and chose the appropriate moral story for each one.

I received a story about a carpenter's son who wanted to meet God. He was sent to learn how to read the scriptures, then to learn to sing, and then to learn to dance. When that didn't help either, he was sent to the Silver Beach, where he saw a wise old man sitting on the sand, drawing circles with a stick. He tapped the old man on the shoulder and asked, 'How can one meet God?' The old man replied quite easily: 'Sit down and draw a circle.' The boy sat down and drew a circle, but the edges did not connect. He erased it and drew again, but got an ellipse. He continued this way—drawing and erasing, drawing and erasing—until one day he felt a touch on his shoulder, noticed that his hands were wrinkled, and a long beard had grown on him. He turned around and saw himself asking how to find God.

Yoala received a story about three princes who were given the task of filling the palace ballroom entirely. Whoever succeeded in filling the hall from floor to ceiling before dusk would earn the crown. The two older brothers set out on their way - the first returned with hundreds of bales of hay, and the servants filled the hall, but couldn’t reach the ceiling. The second brought hundreds of bags of feathers, but the feathers flew away in the wind, while the youngest princess pulled out a music box, flowers, and candles from her bag, filling the entire hall with music, good smells, and light.

Mati received a story about a boy who went to a Buddhist teacher and asked him what the secret to happiness is. The teacher was a bit busy and sent him to wander in the beautiful gardens of his home with a spoonful of oil. 'Come back in an hour without spilling a single drop.' The boy returned an hour later with a spoonful of oil. 'What did you think of my gardens?' asked the teacher. The boy replied that he hadn't seen them at all because he was focused on the spoon. The teacher sent him for another hour of wandering in the gardens, but this time he had to see and marvel at every flower, bush, and tree in the garden. The boy returned an hour later, enthusiastically describing the beauty of the garden, but the drops of oil had spilled from the spoon. The teacher concluded by saying: the secret to happiness is learning to observe all the flowers in the garden without spilling the drops of oil.

Michal got a story about an orphaned and despairing boy who was losing hope and walking along old train tracks. Suddenly, a train arrived and stopped at his feet. The driver got out and offered him that if he was already desperate, he should come with him to hell. The boy panicked and begged not to end up in hell. The driver replied that he could stay here, but in the end, everyone arrives there. The boy asked if there was no loophole, and the driver gave him a watch - when you choose, you can press the watch and stop time; it’s the only way not to reach the end of the road - but choose carefully because the moment you stop will be experienced for eternity. The boy thanked him and went on his way. His life improved from that moment on. Many times he thought of stopping time — when he became wealthy, when he married, and when his children were born. But he always preferred to continue waiting for something better. Finally, his life began to fade, and one day he found himself, old and sick, walking on the train tracks... In the story, there’s a twist; just before he boards the train, he presses the watch.

But the most heartbreaking story was given to Ofri. A child walking with his teacher in the forest suddenly needs to pee. He goes to do it on a tree, but the teacher scolds him - how do you dare do your needs on my trees? Well, they continued on their way, and the child tried his luck again when they reached a stream. The teacher scolded him again - your needs on my water? They continued until the child could barely hold it anymore and went to pee on the rocks - on my land? the teacher exclaimed. They continued until the teacher got tired and lay down to rest. Suddenly he woke up feeling the child peeing on his face. What are you doing? he yelled. This is the only place I won't hurt any tree, the boy replied.

Ofri and I burst out laughing when we read this for the first time, and at Piccolo, we all cracked up together when Ofri animatedly shared the story... The event went smoothly and even successfully. The next day, Yoala returned, and everyone’s mood improved - like the joke about the pizza, Yoala's return always resets everything.

On Monday, the school's final show took place. It was a grand event that is hard to describe in words. All students from ages 3 to 18 participated, with dances, songs, and an orchestra. It's a shame about the words, click here and watch a few minutes. A completely surreal event that is prepared for months in advance, and in the last week, with extreme intensity - every day, a 6-hour rehearsal for the entire school and garden together. Mati managed to be sick that week, so he had no role in the show... Michal came back crying every day, increasingly hating school and saying that the teachers only care about the impressive show for the parents. Ofri has been complaining for a long time about the annoying dance he is forced to do every Friday, and when he found out the dance was for the final show, he declared that he was not willing to participate. Then came show day - arriving at the theater hall in the center of Medellín at 1:00 for the general rehearsal. The show starts at 6:00 and ends at 8:00. I suggested to Mati that he accompany Ofri during the rehearsal and the show, so he would have a role, and Ofri wouldn’t get lost in this absurd situation. Mati agreed, and even his teacher was on board. Ofri agreed to go in knowing that Mati would meet him inside and be with him during the rehearsals. He also firmly announced that he did not intend to go on stage, left my hand, and entered the hall by himself. The kindergarten teacher did not respond to the message I sent her, and we received a message through the coordinators from the kindergarten's director that there was no way, Mati could not be with him, and there’s no such thing as not going on stage... We spent the rest of the day at a café near the theater, worried about how Ofri was managing and whether he would hate us forever or just until the end of the first therapy session... When we saw him on stage, we relaxed. He did not participate in the dance - all the children did the movements, and he stood and made a shape with his hands resembling binoculars or more like a pirate's telescope - looking for us in the audience. When he couldn't find us, he stood angrily with his hands on his hips. Michal performed in one of the dances, but we couldn't see him, and even Mati mistakenly went up on stage during a Tu B'Shvat song because he thought the show was over. When we met them after the show, they were all three tired, hungry, and frustrated. We drove an hour back home, trying to encourage them. The next morning, they didn't want to go to the second show of the performance. We debated whom we should be loyal to - them or the school, and decided to be open about it with them. We said that we were not happy with this exaggerated event either, but if everyone who was dissatisfied with something at school broke all the rules, nothing could be done together. We left the decision in their hands, and they decided not to go. We met the school principal in the hallway yesterday, and she immediately asked us what we thought of the show. Yoala diplomatically answered that it was beautiful and it seemed that everyone worked really hard. The principal replied - true, but it was worth it.

Ofri’s personal bag is starting to fill up... On Thursday, Yoala met the kindergarten teacher who showed her a picture of a child from the kindergarten with a wound on his face from a hit that Ofri gave him with a stick. We sat in the evening and painted a picture together for the child with watercolors. I wrote in his name sorry, and he wrote his name - violent but talented... The boy and the teacher were very excited about the gesture, see you next time.

And the good news at the end: the details are being finalized. I am coming to the country for a visit on 16/6 for two weeks. Returning on 28/6, and from there for a month in Costa Rica.

See you next week.