The Israelis who love to "let go"

Having lived and worked in Israel for some time, what impresses me most is the "empty" spirit of Israelis.

　　Whether on the street, in cafes, or in post offices, banks and other workplaces, you can find them in a state of "relaxation" or "semi-empty" everywhere. When they are idle, their faces are a relaxed and happy look; when they are working, they are slow and leisurely, patient and calm.

　　Slowly, I found that their "empty" is not only a mental outlook, but also seeped into their attitude towards life.

　　An Israeli colleague who works as a cameraman is about 60 years old, but you can't see any trace of old age on him. He is like a young man in his early 20s, not worrying about the future, living a life of wobbling and doing as he pleases.

　　This job is his only source of income, although it is not so difficult to find multiple part-time jobs as a cameraman in Israel, but he does not want to, he feels that this job is not so high income, but enough to support themselves.

　　In his spare time, he also volunteers as the building manager of his building, providing trivial daily services for his neighbors.

　　Now, he does it when he has a job and takes a walk when he doesn't. He says his favorite thing is to walk in East Jerusalem, where he has many Arab friends.

　　The walk is his most relaxing time, and he often runs into old friends and exchanges pleasantries. Every week, he also makes a special detour to an old man who owns a grocery store and gives him 10 shekels (about $18).

　　The life of his two twin sons is similarly "empty. The twins are in their 20s, and after graduating from high school and completing their military service, they found separate jobs and spent years doing nothing.

　　Many young Israelis go on to college after their military service.

　　When I asked them why they didn't go to college, the father said, "They haven't figured out what they want to study yet, and if they do, they'll probably go, I don't know." He shrugged and smiled, not seeing any of the anxiety of a parent.

　　This year, the life of Danny, an Israeli friend he met years ago, has also taken a new turn. 40-something, he had previously been working a 9-to-5 job at an online company and had refused a promotion because he didn't want to take on more responsibility and preferred an easy, simple life.

　　Now he has quit that company and after doing nothing for a while, he started to give classes in the community, teaching photography to senior citizens.

　　From time to time, I would see him on social media sites to show the beautiful pictures he took in his travels around the world.

　　He says that although his income from teaching is meager now, it is close to the life he wants.

　　The landlord's nephew's life choices are just as spontaneous. The landlord was living in Europe and it was time to renew the rent for the office, so I took the trouble to contact the landlord's agent in Israel, his nephew.

　　This 40-something single boy had had enough of traveling the world and was now interested in religion, spending much of his time in religious studies.

　　Talk to him about paying the rent and he says, "There's no rush, wait until the real landlord (his uncle) comes back from Europe some time later and talk to him."

　　This wobbliness of the Israelis baffles me. This country has always been known for its advanced technology and innovation, so how is this state of affairs linked to the legendary aggressiveness and creativity?

　　An Israeli friend believes that such a state of life, too, has been accumulated by the country's development over decades, "On the other hand, maybe it is our relaxed, unconventional attitude to life that provides the space and source of innovation?"