Sanity In The Eyes Of The Beholder

Aref Qanaza (OR)

Keren Zakin Shechter

Loren Khalaily(SAK)

Tali Thau Sade

Yoram Michal (GW)

“Sanity in the Eyes of the Beholder”

         It was in the garden of an institution of mentally ill people that I met a man whose face was fair, lovely, and filled with astonishment. And I sat beside him on the bench, and I said, “Why are you here?”

         Then, he was surprised by my question, and said, “This is an inappropriate question! However, I will answer you. My father and uncle wanted me to be exactly like them, their copy. My mother wanted me to be like her sailor husband. My brother thought I should be an athlete like him. My Philosophy professor, my Music teacher and my Professor of Logic and Rhetoric, all wanted me to reassemble them as if I was their clone. Whereas,  all I wanted to be was myself. To be what I want, to do what I love and to choose the life that I dreamt of. No matter who I am, what my religion is, what my color and my race are. To love and to be loved, to have my own family and lots of children, and the most important thing is to be happy and satisfied. Then, he suddenly turned to me and asked: “How did you also end up here? Was it also by education and good advice? I then answered: “No, I am only a visitor”. He then replied:  “ Oh, so you are one of those who live in the institution of mentally ill people but on the other side of the wall”.