I've been on a work marathon since Wednesday, and it doesn't look as though it'll end for another few days so I may not find much time to blog. But I wanted to let you all know know how much I appreciate the comments and emails I've received regarding part six of "How Lisa came to Israel."

One reader from the U.K. wrote in an email that it read as if I'd wrenched it out of my gut. That's a pretty perceptive observation, because part six was indeed very difficult to write; the memories are still very raw, and I'm only beginning to achieve some insight into the events of three years ago.

When I spoke about this to Diana, she reminded me with some asperity that I'd been very impatient with her fears of crowds and meeting in public places. And it's true, I was impatient with her. At the time I kept telling her that her chance of being killed in a car accident was the same as the chance of being killed in a bombing. I told her that giving up her normal life was giving in to terrorism. And I reminded her constantly that while we could move about as we pleased, the Palestinians in the territories were living with checkpoints, curfews and much more immediate violence. It didn't occur to me then that I was belittling her fears, and making her feel worse. And now I know that my lack of tolerance for her fears was my defense mechanism. But I'll write more about that some other time.

When I posted part six I wasn't really satisfied with what I wrote, for a lot of different reasons. The readers' comments went a very long way toward quieting my insecurities. I know I haven't been very good about responding to the comments, so I want to let everyone know here how much they mean to me. Seriously, without the amazing feedback I would have felt as if I'd spilled my guts for nothing - just sent my thoughts into a big black void.

And yes, there will be a part seven. Tokyo is next, and then the return to Israel - just in time for the invasion of Iraq. Coming soon....