Kibbutz Reim - Uri's Cone Playground

Look at the photo of cones through the eyes of a child - what do you see?

Today we spent a day with friends who live on Kibbutz Reim - one of the closest kibbutzim to Gaza. Our friends were born there, and their parents still live there. The sky was blue and the air felt amazingly fresh as a chilly gentle wind blew on our faces. One couldn't quite believe that the reality on the kibbutz isn't always as such. Our hosts and friends - a family of four - is well versed at running to a shelter which is at least inside their humble home, and was built only recently by the IDF. Before that they had to run a shelter outside together with all the other neighbors. The night before we came to visit there were two sirens, and they were very much hoping that the following night would be more peaceful. The Cohen family has a 13-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl. When Uri looks at a cone on the ground outside his house he views it as a source of material. Uri has spent several months creating what he calls "Uri's playground route" made completely with cones. The cones are placed on both sides of the route, showing the way for children to play games such as "hide and seek". Uri even has 4 hotels in the playground - all are 5-star! They are 4 large square shaped rocks. At the beginning of the route Uri placed a sign on the ground - a flag of Israel and on it he wrote "Uri's (playground) route". Other children from the kibbutz come and play there, and he is very proud of his accomplishment.

Uri's sister - Yael - sat down with me to read my book "The Tune of Life". She is a bright girl, and seemed to grasp almost every one of my 32 ideas/steps for self-growth. When she wasn't sure of an idea she asked me, and one of the sentences she asked me about was the meaning of "Less is More". I asked her if she had ever spent a great deal of effort and energy looking for something she was missing. And I then asked if it ever happened that after stopping the search and giving up completely she suddenly found what she was missing? Many adults are convinced that children have a difficult time grasping abstract ideas, but I am convinced that it is exactly the opposite. When one speaks to a child with sincerity and in a free and open way, while the child's interest is truly being taken to heart, I feel that they are able to describe themselves very clearly as well as use their imagination better than most adults. What is playing in a junkyard or in "Uri's playground of cones" if not the true use of the imagination?

Yael confided in me something that she has been wanting to do for a while but has not yet managed - that is to learn how to cook. She told me that she'd love to make up recipes and to experiment with flavors and mixtures of foods. I could see she is an adventurous girl with courage, deep imagination and much happiness.

My visit to Kibbutz Reim was so enjoyable, and especially the insight I could get into Yael and Uri's world - their creative and imaginary abilities.

וידאו של המסלול שבנה אורי:

In the photo are my husband and I on the Jama hill minutes away from Reim.