The local university is the orientation site for international students coming to spend a year in the United States. For two weeks, the town sees high school (17-18 year-olds) students wandering around in huge groups — huge groups because there's so little for them to see in town. At the end of their two-week orientation, the university gives them a fireworks display.
Even though the cats hate all the booms, I love fireworks and will stop what I am doing and go outside to watch.
Tonight was no different. I didn't have time to get over to the football field where I could have had an uninterrupted view, but by standing on the church drivevway and looking through a space between the trees across the way, I could see them clearly.
As I stood there, a couple came by and I greeted them. They asked why there were fireworks and I explained. We started chatting, I found out that they are from Canada, so we talked about their city (I have been there and love it), and they are originally from Russia. In time, as they asked about the church's history, I invited them to stop by tomorrow to see the inside (Mr seemed interested in the organ which is an 1832 tracker organ from Boston). He demurred, saying they are Jewish and cannot go into a place where there are 'images.' I said Oh shabbat shalom, and they greeted me back, glad for it.
That led into a long conversation about Christianity, Judaism, basic beliefs (they had heard in synagogue a recent sermon on the Shema, Deuteronomy 6.4, Love God, love your neighbour and really liked it), we talked about humankind created in God's image, how animals don't have a nephesh (loosely translated as 'soul' in English but really untranslatable in Hebrew), good and evil and so forth — some real easy theological themes to accompany fireworks.
For half an hour, the duration of the fireworks display, we talked.
And when it all ended with a wonderful grand finale, we shook hands, exchanged first names, wished each a gentle evening and then went our separate ways.
It was one of those moments of synchronicity, but one for which I am glad and enrichened.
2 comments:
I never knew about the idea of "nephesh" in Jewish theology. I've always believed that cats and dogs have souls...not too sure about chickens; cockroaches, hmm...rather doubt it, but OCICBW.
I've always heard that fireworks displays should be no longer than 20-30 minutes because of "wow-burnout."
Nephesh only applies to the human creature but I will be the first to argue that my cats have souls. If they aren't in heaven, then I am going to where they are regardless.
As for fireworks, I have never heard about time limitations. In Cannes, France, they have a pyrotechnical festival. I went there 31 (gasp) years ago) and I think what we saw that night was at least 45 minutes long and amazing the entire time.
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