No actually, I’m not….

But many many years ago, I was. I was 16 years old and at the end of the best summer of my life. My dream had come true – my parents had enabled me to join a youth trip to Israel and I knew the minute I landed, that I was whole and I’d found home.

As the weeks in Israel passed too quickly, I knew I was going to have to leave and I agonized over it. I knew, as only a 16 year old can know, that I would never be whole again.

Somewhere during that summer, I heard the song, “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” and while it was clearly intended as a song between a man and a woman, for me it was a song between Israel and me.

I thought of the song a few weeks ago when I was on the plane to Europe and smiled because this time I knew when I’d be back, this time, Israel was home.

I’m sitting in my dining room trying to catch up on work and the song came on the online radio station – I’m using ear phones to drown out the sound of an African Gray Parrot that’s driving me crazy…oh but how I cried whenever I heard this song…and oh how I smile now…

Lyrics and music:From Peter, Paul and Mary, Leaving on a Jet Plane

All my bags are packed, 
I’m ready to go 
I’m standing here outside your door 
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye 

But the dawn is breakin’, it’s early morn 
The taxi’s waiting, 
he’s blowin’ his horn 
Already I’m so lonesome I could cry
 
So kiss me and smile for me 
Tell me that you’ll wait for me 
Hold me like you’ll never let me go 
(Oh baby, don’t let me go) 

I’m leavin’ on a jet plane 
I don’t know when I’ll be back again 
Oh babe, I hate to go
 
There’s so many times I’ve let you down 
So many times I’ve played around 
I tell you now, they don’t mean a thing 

Every place I go, I think of you 
Every song I sing, I sing for you 
When I come back, I’ll wear your wedding ring
 
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me 
Hold me like you’ll never let me go 
(Oh baby, don’t let me go) 

I’m leavin’ on a jet plane 
I don’t know when I’ll be back again 
Oh babe, I hate to go
 
Now the time has come to leave you 
One more time let me kiss you 
Then close your eyes and I’ll be on my way 

Dream about the days to come 
When I won’t have to leave alone 
About the times, I won’t have to say
 
So kiss me and smile for me 
Tell me that you’ll wait for me 
Hold me like you’ll never let me go 
(Oh baby, don’t let me go) 

I’m leavin’ on a jet plane 
I don’t know when I’ll be back again 
Oh babe, I hate to go