Greetings and welcome back to the World Cup week's edition of Laura's Links. Ha ha just kidding, I don't really care. I understand how passionate people are about soccer/football but it's generally just a big yawn for me.
Wait... on second thought, there was something that I really enjoyed. Mr. C was watching an Israeli livestream of the pre-game festivities. This was the first time that direct flights (of Palestinians and Israelis) were allowed into Qatar from Israel and that is pretty wild. However, let's not forget that Qatar does not exactly love DA JOOZ and they are pretty major funders of some pretty unsavory organizations. Qatar is not really in on the newfound Sunni lovefest with Israel if you get my meaning.
Despite these facts, the Israeli sports journalists are totally lovestruck about being in Qatar. They were talking about how wonderful the place is, how they can speak Hebrew without ANY FEAR, and it's totally fine to walk around with a yarmulke on (mmmmkay). Then this Israeli journalist starts gushing on air about THE BEST PART of being there. He says it is just so amazing to be meeting people from all over the world, like my new friend Mohammad, from Egypt! This is all in Hebrew. Then he looks at Mohammad, and puts an arm around him and says to him in English, "isn't it great, Mohammad", and Mohammad looks right into the Israeli camera and says "VIVA PALESTINE". I started laughing so hard I nearly peed my pants.
The Israeli sports guy looked crestfallen, but realized how idiotic he looked and immediately went to pathetic narrative rescue mode and says to Mohammad "And also VIVA ISRAEL RIGHT??!?!". Mohammad, unfortunately did not affirm. Unrequited love is such a bummer.
Anyway, I have a nice big pile of links for you that will possibly take your mind of the guys running around and kicking the balls over the course of the next month.
Last Shabbat, I read a newly published memoir by American journalist Stephanie Foo called "What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing From Complex Trauma". She suffered terrible physical and mental abuse at the hands of her parents, but is now happily married and still recovering and working through the trauma. She shared a bit of insight that her then boyfriend (now husband) said to her when she shared with him that she was afraid he might tire of her issues, or that having mental trauma and scars would be too much for him and that they might not make it.
He looks at her and says "...you know, it's okay to have some things you never get over". The author then reflects on this point:
"It's okay to have some things you never get over. In the span of half an hour, this man whom I had known for less than a season did what nobody in my life ever had. He took all of my sins and simply forgave them. He didn't demand relentless improvement. There were no ultimatums. He asserted that I was enough, as is. The gravity of it stunned me into silence. Joey was the opposite of the dread."
[Note: The "dread" is the author's name for her anxiety, flashbacks etc, much like Churchill had "the black dogs".]
That whole exchange belongs in the Human Grace section, but I wanted it front and center. Sometimes we meet people in our lives that change them forever, for the good. How lucky. How blessed. I think the more good we do, the more good comes back to us. We never know how the most seemingly small gesture can actually change an entire life or even the entire world.
Yesterday morning, I started my day before sunrise. I went to the gym before anyone else got up (and yes I do feel totally smug and superior on the days when I am able to pull this off thankyouverymuch). I got back and started on breakfast and lunches and the drum of a regular weekday. I was in the middle of both when my youngest called me from upstairs.
"Mommy, can you come?"
"Umm, I'm kind of busy down here."
"Mommy, just come, can you come up? Come."
"OK, coming is everything ok?"
I entered the bedroom to find him looking out at the window at the glorious pink and red striped clouds in the morning sky, which were tinged with yellow sunlight. His back was to me and I realized that he had called me upstairs just to look at the magnificent colours of the sunrise with him. He didn't have to say anything. I looked at him and said, you called me up just to see the colours with you, didn't you. He didn't answer, just smiled and I grabbed him into a hug.
Sometimes things are so hard and life throws you desperately painful curveballs – I'm fielding a few now. But I have the privilege of a little human I created calling for me to come upstairs and wordlessly want me beside him just to watch the colours of the sky and I can't figure out how I got so lucky and so blessed. How did I get so lucky as to be a mother, and to have been able to bring such beautiful lives into the world. That keeps me going one sunrise at a time.
Have a great weekend and see you in the comments.
~
North America:
As if the corrupt, shady, awful, powerdrunk FBI doesn't have enough to ruin in America, now it's spreading its wings.
You can't make this stuff up. As Mark always says, the left is serious about power. There's no pause button.
Normalizing state implemented death as a "treatment".
This Jew-hating race huckster is really living the life.
Trudeau: he is SHOCKED, absolutely SHOCKED to find gambling in this establishment!
Had anyone even heard of myocarditis before these garbage products were rolled out and jabbed into us all? And now it's been normalized because WHY????
This is a horrifying story from a group home in Ontario, where they are allegedly being abused and drugged into zombieland for "compliance". Pity the children.
Canada is a moral wasteland.
~
Jews and Israel:
"This new album celebrates all the Christmas songs written by Jews.
Israeli cuisine is now on the map, television as well and now music!
"This is pure Jew hatred in its rawest form. The hatred of Jews comes from people of all backgrounds and from people of all colors.
Thoughtful: on Jews with disabilities.
~
Jewish Wisdom:
"The Divine soul overcomes the animating soul in the same way that light overcomes darkness. Light does not have to actively exert itself to dispel darkness – darkness simply ceases to exist in the presence of light."
~
Britain:
The Monarchy not so much. This is the Chassidic ditty "Mashiach" (Messiah). Who says the Joooooz do not control the world?
~
Europe:
If you recall, the Germans laughed in Trump's face when he warned them about depending on Russia for energy.
~
Iran:
Courage.
~
China:
What a massive pile of poop. These barbarian murderers lie at every opportunity.
Fewer communists. Good.
~
Afghanistan:
Barbarians.
~
Misc:
~
Woke:
"Why my family is parting ways with our pediatrician." This is the way to do it.
Agree with this completely.
~
Human Grace:
It's never too late. Sing it, granny!
Do you have a boo boo? (This kind of reminds me of Kathy Shaidle, telling us it would be better to ask crazy leftists: what happened to you? Watch the whole conversation between Mark, Kathy, Andrew and Tal here.)
So much wisdom in here. Love Zuby!
It's open thread time! Log into SteynOnline and let Laura know what you think of these stories or other happenings from week that was. Commenting privileges are among the many perks of membership in The Mark Steyn Club. While going off topic is permitted on Laura's Links, do stick to the other rules as you engage: no URLs, no profanity, and no ad hominem attacks.