15 seconds

The past few weeks were very hard for me. 

Here we are, enjoying the amazing views of the carribeans, and the total freedom this adventure has granted us, while back home in Israel war is on. 

Thousands of missiles have been fired on Israel from Gaza during the past 3 weeks. Targeting the entire country, including my home town, Tel Aviv. 

Sirens go off on a daily basis, in some parts of the country, on an hourly basis. These sirens can catch you anywhere and they give you a 15 seconds warning. 15 seconds. That's all the time you have to run for the nearest shelter if one is near by, or out to the stairwell if you're not so lucky, stop at the side of the highway leave the car and dodge by te side of the road, cover your kids body and their little ears and hope that no one gets hurt. 

While my sister is doing that with her kids, aged just like mine, and my not-so-young parents are doing that, and all my friends are doing that, on a daily basis now, I'm teaching my kids to snorkel, fish their dinner and run on the amazingly white sand. 

That's doesn't feel right. 

Everyone should be able to spend their summer running care free. 

This war is a first for me in more than one way. It's the first time I'm so far away from home in such a time, it's the first time it is effecting the life in Tel Aviv, the bubble of all bubbles, and it's the first time so many of my friends have kids who are fighting out there. I spent many sleepless nights lately praying for their safe return and,  naively, for peace. 

I hope you can join me in a prayer for peace. 

Darya