Welcoming Shabbos at the Western Wall

Before sundown we left the hotel heading for the Western Wall. "We" included our two tours buses that were joined by dozens of other tours, taxis, and pedestrians all heading for the Western Wall. No photos permitted so I'll do my best.
The square in front of the Wall was crowded with several thousand people. Many observant Jews arrived in their black frock coats, various styles of religious hats including fur hats that originated in Hungary, wide brimmed hats, women's cloche hats and modest clothing, shitles (spelling? orthodox women's wigs), and of course kippahs. It is not only the orthodox who come to welcome Shabbos, otherwise secular Jews, many tourists, soldiers in uniform, and hundreds of high school students chose the Western Wall arena to begin Shabbos. This was the best site for people watching, for being, for feeling Shabbos.
Stu braved the crowds and headed for the Wall, to touch it again. The religious men at the wall moved aside and encouraged him to join them. He didn't experience any territoriality, no pushing or shoving, just sharing and welcoming. He refelt the warmth of being welcomed home.
For me, I marveled at the joy of those who truly observe and welcome the Sabbath. There was so much evident joy and celebration. Imagine feeling this jubilant every week of every year of your life! This was more joyous than looking forward to a birthday, or celebrating an anniversary, and you get to repeat this celebration, the welcoming of the bride of Shabbos, every week all your life long. That Shabbos is the bride counters, for me, any sense that the women are not as honored as the men--observances differ, but honor does not.
I thought how much we give up to be secular, and how hard we work at maintaining all of our secular stuff. I will change this to me--how much I have given up, not even learned, to be a secular Jew. And how I have worked to acquire so much stuff to live this very good life. But, how little was needed to feel the celebratory joy of Shabbat.
I wonder if I can return from this trip to Jerusalem and maintain these feelings, these thoughts, when we share our Passover dinner (Passover begins the day after we return from our trip.), and enter Shabbat. People say you are forever changed after a trip to Israel, but I haven't felt it very much until now. Tel Aviv and Haifa were interesting, but didn't touch my soul in the way that Jerusalem has. Can I bring Jerusalem home with me in my soul, or will it just be a collection of keepsakes I purchased throughout the trip?
Adrienne