יָשַׁבְתִּיya-SHAV-tiבָּאוֹטוֹבּוּסba-o-to-BUSמִבְּנֵיmi-bneiבְּרַקBRAKלְתֵלle-TELאָבִיב,a-VIV,שָׁקוּעַsha-KU-aבְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת.be-ma-kha-sha-VOT.רַבRAVצָעִירtza-IRהִתְיַשֵּׁבhit-ya-SHEVלְיָדִיle-ya-DIוְשָׁאַלve-sha-ALבִּנְעִימוּתbin-i-MUTאִםimהַמָּקוֹםha-ma-KOMפָּנוּי.pa-NU.אַחֲרֵיa-kha-REIכַּמָּהKA-maדַּקּוֹתda-KOTשֶׁלshelשְׁתִיקָה,she-ti-KA,הוּאHUשָׁאַלsha-ALאוֹתִיo-TIמָהMAאֲנִיa-NIחוֹשֵׁבkho-SHEVעַלalאֹשֶׁר.O-sher.הֻפְתַּעְתִּיhuf-TA-tiמֵהַשְּׁאֵלָהme-ha-she-e-LAוְעָנִיתִיve-a-NI-tiלוֹ:LO:"אֹשֶׁר"O-sherהוּאHUמַשֶּׁהוּMA-she-huשֶׁאֲנַחְנוּshe-a-NAKH-nuמְחַפְּשִׂיםme-khap-SIMכָּלKOLהַחַיִּים."ha-kha-YIM."הוּאHUחִיֵּךְkhi-YEKHוְאָמַר:ve-a-MAR:"אוּלַי"u-LAIאֲנַחְנוּa-NAKH-nuלֹאLOצְרִיכִיםtze-ri-KHIMלְחַפֵּשׂ.le-kha-PES.אוּלַיu-LAIהוּאHUיוֹשֵׁבyo-SHEVשָׁםSHAMוּמְחַכֶּהu-me-kha-KEלָנוּ."LA-nu."דִּבַּרְנוּdi-BAR-nuעַלalסְפָרִים,sfa-RIM,הוֹרִים,ho-RIM,מוּזִיקָהMU-zi-kaעַתִּיקָהa-ti-KAוְשִׁירָהve-shi-RAמוֹדֶרְנִית.mo-DER-nit.כְּשֶׁהִגַּעְנוּkshe-hi-GA-nuלַתַּחֲנָהla-ta-kha-NAשֶׁלּוֹ,she-LO,הוּאHUקָםKAMוְנָתַןve-na-TANלִיliפֶּתֶקPE-tekקָטָן.ka-TAN.הָיָהha-YAכָּתוּבka-TUVבּוֹboרַקRAKדָּבָרda-VARאֶחָד:e-KHAD:"תּוֹדָה.""to-DA."אֶתetהַפֶּתֶקha-PE-tekשָׁמַרְתִּיsha-MAR-tiעַדadהַיּוֹם.ha-YOM.
I was sitting on the bus from Bnei Brak to Tel Aviv, sunk in thought. A young rabbi sat down beside me and politely asked if the seat was free. After a few minutes of silence, he asked me what I think about happiness. I was caught off guard by the question and answered him: "Happiness is something we look for our whole lives." He smiled and said: "Maybe we don't need to look, maybe it's sitting there waiting for us." We talked about books, about parents, about ancient music and modern poetry. When we reached his stop, he stood up and gave me a small note. Only one thing was written on it: "thank you." I have kept the note to this day.