By Marjorie Young

One of the pleasures I relish this summer are the frequent updates from my great-nephew Sam, currently backpacking through Europe with his best friend Aidan. In addition to gorgeous photos on Instagram, entertaining and descriptive text messages arrive daily. The two eighteen-year-olds are clearly having a marvelous time while gaining valuable experience along the way.

Following their journey vicariously caused me to reflect on my own first solo venture; three months in Europe and North Africa when I was nineteen. Unlike Sam and Aidan, I’d never traveled till then, though harboring a burning ambition to explore the world since earliest childhood. At the time, there was no internet, texting, cell phones, or the like, so I was truly on my own…which proved both terrifying and liberating.

One of my first memorable encounters came at the very beginning of my trip, in London. Staying at a small bed-and-breakfast, I met another guest, a girl from Lebanon called ‘Taki.’ She was from a well-to-do Beirut family and traveling on her own…a rarity in those days. Taki and I hit it off immediately and decided to explore the city together. Each proved ‘exotic’ to one another, making our friendship all the more interesting. Visiting museums, the theater, and surveying the spectacular city on foot was a delight. There was one matter, however, that cast a shadow as days went by.

There’s a wise old adage advising against discussing religion or politics. Yet from time to time, Taki would, quite out of the blue, launch into a tirade against Israel’s Middle Eastern policies, and beyond that, ‘the Jews.’ As a citizen of Beirut, criticizing Israel seemed one thing…but lambasting all Jews everywhere as the cause of every world problem seemed quite another matter.

I confess that I’ve never been shy about expressing my opinions. Indeed, when encountering racist, sexist, anti-gay, or other derogatory rants, the perpetrator is bound to get an earful! But oddly, in this case, Taki’s views didn’t infuriate me at all. I felt affection for her as a friend, while meanwhile convinced she had never met a Jew in her life. Instinct told to let matters unfold naturally. And so they did.

About ten days after we’d met, her family friend drove us to Brighton for a day at the beach. While enjoyable, it was made bittersweet by the fact that I was leaving London the following day. On the way back, Taki and I sat chatting away. Then, again out of nowhere, she began to berate not only Israel, but Jews in particular.

As she continued, a spirit of calm, as well as good will towards Taki, spread over me, odd as that may seem. I could not help smiling at her. Eventually, she noticed I hadn’t said a word (I never did during these ‘episodes’) but she did denote the smile. A look of palpable astonishment crossed her face. She gasped. “Margie…are YOU a Jew?”

“Yes, I am,” I replied. “What do you think of that?”

There was a pause as she reflected. Then she spoke words that have resonated in my soul ever since. They were simple and brief. “We are sisters!” And with that, we embraced.

Taki gave me a gift that day, as I believe I gave her in return. I had chosen not to berate her, lecture her, shun her, or any of the other ‘acceptable’ responses when encountering prejudice. Instead, I simply allowed her to get to know me as a human being, as I was allowed to know her…crossing a divide that has set individuals, religions, and entire nations into conflict.

Taki and I remained in touch for some time. She visited me two years later in San Francisco, on her way to see family in Los Angeles. This time, my parents were reluctant to meet her, supposing her to be a terrorist of some sort (prejudice works both ways!). But in the end, they found her a delight. And though we lost touch eventually, our connection will last a lifetime. And perhaps, like the pebble tossed in the pond, ripples of reconciliation have spread out, leaving their small but positive mark on the world.

Marjorie is available for readings at the Ballard Sunday Market (weather permitting), her Ballard home, or by phone.

Please email her: myballardpsychic@gmail.com

See her fantasy/adventure series: www.theboywithgoldeneyes.com

Follow her on Twitter: @psychicmargie