A report from the war zone

I was on my way to work at 6:40 am when I heard the alarm (for reasons of my own I didn't share this here).<br><br>I didn't stop. I didn't panic. I didn't do anything. I just kept driving.<br><br>I remembered how I thought that everything would stop during the corona outbreak, and how nothing changed. I assumed it would be the same.<br><br>My father, brothers, friends, and I are all in the army (some are currently serving). I don't know how they find the mental strength to be away from everything for so long. But this isn't the point.<br><br>We were told we can't come to the office (the whole building is for other companies, and we can't let the alarm turn everyone away), so I decided to go to the mall.<br><br>I was horribly mistaken. I arrived there and realized it was closed (I didn't check beforehand, I had other things on my mind), and the food mall (where I used to get my coffee, which is also the only place around where I can be alone) is also closed.<br><br>So I went to the park. There's a great lake there, and many (not too much, since it's 7:00 am) people.<br><br>The impact is clear. I arrived there and asked one of the dog walkers for a lighter, and started talking to him. He said he's a civilian defense instructor, and that he has to train his unit today. He said it's going to be hard, but he's an (ex) soldier as well. I asked if he feels different this time. He said it's worse. He always told his kids that "the military is not to be messed with" (he also said "Israel will always have the upper hand", which is always good to hear), but now he's not sure. He said he remembers the day when we attacked in Lebanon, and how we were horribly wrong. He said that now everything is the same, but worse, and that he feels that everyone is much more frightened now. He asked if I heard the alarm this morning, and my answer shook his world.<br><br>We said our goodbyes, and as I sat on a bench I saw a guy running around with a dog. He didn't look happy. I asked if he was okay, and he said that the alarm ruined his day. I said "next time you'll hear it you better run", and he said "I'm going to be here for the rest of the day, this is my day".<br><br>He said he didn't think it would impact him this bad. He's a 25-year-old guy, that has been to the army, and is an avid fan of the military. He said the alarm really shook him.<br><br>I felt like I have to tell them, so I said "it's not like this is the first time", and they looked at me with anger and hate. The dog walker said "you didn't tell me you have hate for Israel, otherwise I would not have spoken to you". I said "I love Israel! Stop being stupid. I'm just used to it. I'm a college student in Beer Sheva, I hear the alarm every week".<br><br>He said "it's not the same, and I know you know it. This is a war. Everyone is frightened". The dog runner said "I'm a soldier, and I know how it is, and it's not the same. This time is different".<br><br>I don't know what made them this paranoid.