Ricki's mom, over at Beneath the Wings, bewails the Israeli cultural phenomenon of children bringing tons of junk food on school trips. Her post inspired mine.
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Many years ago, I think my eldest was in third grade at the time, I found myself confronted with the social pressures of junk food.
At the time, I never bought junk food.
A few years earlier, when she was in first grade, it became clear that, for school trips, I had to include special treats with her lunch. I did not mind. I sent her with a bag of pretzels and some dried fruit (usually dried apricots).
Around third grade, my daughter timidly approached me before her school trip.
"Ima," she asked, hesitantly, "do you think you could give me something more fun for the school trip? No one wants to trade with me."
That's when I learned that, not only do all the kids bring junk food, but, they all swap/share their junk food.
My sweet kid was the only one bringing "healthy" snacks, which the other kids clearly did not want.
"What would you like?" I asked my little girl, prepared to hear a long list.
"Maybe you could get me a bag of Bisli (a popular Israeli snack) and a package of hamtzutzim (sour sticks)?" she asked shyly.
"That's it?" I asked, certain there must be more that she wanted.
That was it.
I, sort of, felt like I did when I finished reading Bontshe, the Silent, by I.L. Peretz. (If you have not read this short story, you should. I.L. Peretz also wrote If Not Higher, which is my all-time favorite short story.)
Such a modest request from my daughter.
I felt shamed by what I had imagined she would request.
"I would be happy to get those for you," I told her right away, and delighted in her simple joy.
I remember thinking: Wouldn't it be great if it would always be this easy to make her so happy?
Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.
With love and optimism,
RivkA
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