Date #10: The Rewarding One

The highest reward for a man's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it. -John Ruskin

Date #10 will be our last official day on vacation, and I will want to make the most of it. I will haul my travel team up and out of bed bright and early in the morning so we can catch our flight taking us from Djerba back to Tunis. The flight will save us a lot of time as it only takes about 1 hour, and will cost roughly 60-200 Euros/person.  This last day in Tunis may just be the one that I will reflect on the most and hold the closest to my heart. Why? Well, today, I will go back in time to the days of my mother's childhood (1960), and visit the house she was born in. To be able to do this with my brother, sister, and two very close cousins is extremely special to me, and it's an experience that I will treasure forever. 

My mom as a little girl in Tunis, near her house.

While I'm in the neighbourhood, I'll touch on some religious aspects by visiting the local synagogue that my grandparents used to attend.

Grande synagogue, Tunis--My Grandparents' shul!!

And, with that being the final activity of my planned vacation, it will also be the final date that I pick off of my ever-shrinking date palm. After I eat this last date, I'll be left with an empty palm and its roots, reflecting the historical family roots I will have discovered through this day's journey. What can I tell you? No vacation can last forever, (that's why it's called a vacation!) but even though all the dates are gone, I will forever be implanted with both the roots of my heritage, as well as the roots of my trip. And better yet, just like any tree reproduces itself through seeds, the memories I will have created on this trip will come home with me, and be re-dispersed and shared with the rest of my family. They'll change me as a person, and leave me with a sense of appreciation of my heritage, family and life back at home. To me, the sharing of experiences is one of the best parts of a vacation. By the way, just so you all know, that last date was a rewarding one, the "date of all dates," one that I savoured while eating, and one that I will savour for the rest of my life.  

Removing the final "rewarding" date off my palm. 

Your Date-Picker,
Melissa