(continued from Masada (Part 2)) His offer cut deep. In that moment—yes, that very moment—I realized the amount of manipulation that I had engaged in while trying to satisfy my own pride. The means of exorcising my demon became obvious. Submission to Ronen’s sound judgment (that I should not climb Masada while I was … Continue reading Masada (Part 3)

(continued from Masada (Part 1)) Imagine my relief when our Israeli tour guide, Ronen, suddenly appeared to whisk me away from the punishment. He called to both me and a young lady who had been accidentally abandoned in the bathroom when the group had departed. In our mutual distress, we shared how each of us had … Continue reading Masada (Part 2)

Masada, IsraelOn the fourth day of our trip, I awoke to a toasty fever and blood in my urine, which suggested a bladder infection. It is very disconcerting to tell a stranger about abnormal bathroom experiences; however, a bladder infection did not seem to be one of those issues that should be left to secrecy, … Continue reading Masada (Part 1)