I’m a nail biter from way back. When I was a kid my Dad would threaten me with the dreaded wearing of the white gloves. Translated that meant that if I continued to bite he’d make me wear white gloves on my hands which would make me look much like a cross between Queen Elizabeth and Michael Jackson. My Dad never made good on his threat-- I never wore the white gloves and I have spent the better part of my life curling my fingers under the palms of my hand.

Strange as it may seem, Israel is actually the best therapy for a nail biting "worry wart' like me. How so? Well, in this tiny Middle Eastern country there are just so many things to worry about apart from the run of the mill worries a person living anywhere has to deal with, that your cup “runeth over” so to speak and you kind of “numb out”. By numb out I mean that  you actually tend to decrease your load of worries by virtue of necessity rather than, through meditation, cognitive therapy or pharmaceuticals (at least in my case).

I spend a lot of time observing Israelis in their everyday activities and have taken to monitoring their nuances, behaviors and attitudes. I learn a lot by taking note of how they deal with certain situations and I am most struck by their ability to actually live life, not void of worry for sure, but not exactly consumed by it either.

In  2005, I found myself in an extremely worrisome situation. We had organized a Bar Mitzvah tour of Israel for our son Benji and our nephew, Jonathan and no sooner had we landed in Israel when Michel began to experience chest pains. I was paralyzed by the worry and while he wouldn’t let me divulge his state to anyone, I confided in my childhood friend who was well into her 20th year living in Israel. Over coffee and with my T-shirt stained with tears I asked her what would happen if Michel was, G-d forbid, really sick with something. I’ll never forget her totally Israeli like answer, “if he’s sick than he’ll just have to get fixed.” Her response shocked me at first.Yet, it also forced me to dry my eyes and face reality with a far more pragmatic and take charge attitude.

Once back on Canadian soil Michel underwent triple by-pass surgery and the worry bug invaded my being once again. Throughout the ordeal, which by the way, served as a catalyst for the decision to uproot the family and eventually make the move to Israel, I realized that worry was an indulgence I could ill afford. I had to set an example for the kids and show them positive thinking, keep them immersed in their daily lives and be strong for Michel who has never been so inclined to worry too much about himself. I simply didn’t have a lot of time for worrying because I was so busy doing and worry would have prevented me from meeting the demands of the situation that presented itself.

Since Michel’s surgery and for sure since I’ve moved to Israel, I have tried to monitor my propensity for worry and I have made a few observations. First, I believe worry produces absolutely no positive outcome. It can permeate your thoughts, diverts your attention away from where it should be focused and it can play havoc with your health. Worry in it purest form can prevent you from taking action. Because of worry for what a doctor may find, you can delay a necessary regular medical test or check-up. Because of worry you prevent your children from doing something that could contribute to their personal growth and development and because of worry you don’t always chase after and realize your dreams and ambitions.

If I were to be honest, I would have to admit that I have held the belief that if I worried myself sick about something than it simply wouldn’t be so. Not so smart I now know because life simply doesn’t work that way. It is far better to take a more pragmatic approach and act on a problem or concern and for extra insurance substitute some prayer in place of nebulous worry.

I peruse the streets of Israel full of all kinds of people from different economic, cultural and religious backgrounds and I have an epiphany. If the people of this small Middle Eastern country would have allowed themselves to indulge in worry, they would have simply not have been able to take the State to the point which it is at today. Despite the pressure of having heavily armed and very unfriendly neighbors surrounding, a cost of living that rises daily, the highest breast cancer rate per capita in the world, children serving in the military and lingering nightmares of death and destruction, Israelis still manage to live, laugh, create and build. When they are knocked down they get up and continue on. They weep for the past and are concerned for the future, yet they manage to not allow it to dominate.

It isn’t an easy life here in Israel that’s for darn sure, but life is lived with a resolve that "yihiyeh tov", it will be good. It will be good….not such a bad thought to replace the worry when it creeps up on me and certainly much more pleasant than the thought of those white gloves from so long ago.