Anger Under Still Waters

Recent summers I've blogged about conversations my friends and I have while busy exercising in the local Shiloh Swimming Pool. Here's another in that unofficial series...

Don't let outer appearances fool you. Chubby, cheerful looking grandmothers and bikini-body youngsters have more on their minds than cooking for Shabbat or where to vacation. None of us around the pool have been immune from the pains and cost of Arab terrorism.

Instead of exchanging recipes, cute stories about the grandchildren, vacation advice etc we were getting reports of the medical situation of recent terror victims.

While trying to burn calories, stretch limbs and contract muscles, we were also talking "justice."

• "All Arab terrorists should be executed."
• "The Death Penalty must be enforced on all Arab terrorists who even just attempted murder."
• "Why should the terrorists be released to try again?"
• "Why are our taxes supporting convicted terrorists in hotel conditions?"
• "Why was Adolf Eichmann the only person executed by the State of Israel? He was a bureaucrat, no worse than the Arab terrorists and those who support them."
• "The Palestinian Authority's financial support of terrorist families must be stopped."

Yes, that's how we feel. We're angry, frustrated, worried and very disappointed that the State of Israel isn't doing what it should be doing to increase our security and stop Arab terrorism. Arab terrorism isn't an ordinary crime; ordinary laws and modern justice are ineffective against it.

There's a lot of anger beneath the surface, under still waters.

Poolside Philosophy

It's rather amazing what we can all get used to. A couple of weeks ago the local Shiloh Swimming Pool opened, and I was one of the hardier, more daing women to go swimming on those very first days when the water was freezing cold. Yes, the water was cold, and even we thought we were crazy.

Three of showed up the first night it was open, Women's Hours, when not only weren't there any little kids making noise, but the sun wasn't shining either. It was dark and cold.

The only concession I made to the weather was to climb in by ladder, instead of a big body-shocking jump.

I decided that considering my age, maybe a big jump wouldn't be a very good idea.

And the next morning, we all showed up again.

Even though the sun was shining, I decided to be cautious. It was a good move. As strong as the sun was, it was no match for the cold water.

But the cold water didn't force us out. We kept on moving, and our bodies quickly adjusted.

We really don't know what lies beneath the water, and we certainly can't guess the temperature just by looking.

The water is a lot like people. We tend to judge it by wishful thinking. We frequently read into people what we want them to be. That can cause a lot of trouble.

Water reflects more than images. What happens at the pool is a reflection of the community. Suddenly this year, more than ever before, the other swimmers seem to terribly young. And when I look around I realize that I'm the oldest person in the pool.

It used to be that Women's Hours were more Middle-aged, rather than eighteen plus. But now it seems that even those who have barely finished high school prefer the quiet and peaceful adult swim time. In the past, we'd only see the younger women if they were in training to pass the swimming part of the lifeguard test.

Shiloh and the surrounding communities  are getting younger, thank Gd. There are more preschools opening up. Many young families are attracted to living here for the convenient location, good schools and basic services, such as clinics, stores and of course the pool.