Blessings

Although I perhaps have never spoken of it, but I am an enthusiastic supporter of Judiasm and Israel and fascinated with it's people and culture. Today, during my return from lunch in downtown Seattle, I had hopped a bus back to the office. As I boarded, I noticed a man who adorned in the longish jewish black coat, black hat, white shit, and sporting a full beard, he was clearly an orthodox jew, and I did not hestitate to start a conversation. "Do you know of a synagoge in downtown Seattle?", I asked. He responded, clearly seeing a friendly face, "I don't, I've only been to Seattle twice." I moved over to a seat closer and carried on a conversation. He had just arrived in Seattle from Jerusalem, Israel. He was only going to be here one day before heading out to Los Angeles, California, but before leaving Seattle, he wanted to see Seattle's Space Needle. Perhaps the entire ride was seven to eight minutes, but they were precious moments. I felt blessed. I had to depart the bus, and forgot to even ask his name, but smile thinking of one of his last sentences to me, "Seattle has to be the friendliest large cities in the U.S." I had helped create a positive image of my new home, Seattle. I had shaken the hand of a man of the holy city Jerusalem. I had seen him smile, and I had felt illuminated myself. This is the first time I had met and spoken with orthodox jewish man, and let alone, a person who resides in Jerusalem, the city I yearn to one day visit myself. I send him all my blessings.