COLLECTIVE AMNESIA

Yesterday while having a nice cup of Kusmi tea with my friend and her children, the phone rings and in one second our afternoon tea transforms into this:

Hello, yes?

NO!!!!
WHEN?
WHERE?
ARE THERE ANY DEAD PEOPLE?

And so on..

The scenario unfolds in the same way each time there is an explosion in Beirut.

We then rush to the TV searching for a channel that would broadcast the news live, while in the same time each one of us tries frantically to call our loved ones on the mobile, well knowing that the lines would be shut down because of the huge amount of people calling at the same time.

We then scan the whereabouts of our loved ones in the head, trying to remember where they would be at this time of the day. Ouf, they are all safe and sound and we can relax for one moment before zapping through the 10 news channels, in Arabic and English. Usually AL Arabia hits the jackpot and is the first to show live picture.. The zapping goes on to Euronews, CNN and other foreign speaking news channels so that we can begin to comprehend what has happened.

Lately, politicians or popular figures are the target. Yesterday the target was a car belonging to the US embassy in Lebanon. This news puts a gloom over my tea party. Now foreigners are at risk. Like during the civil war.

And so, the vision of car bombs exploding around us start to hunt me again. And of course the thought of leaving this nightmare hunts me again. And of course, the next day, we wake up, bring the kids to school, do our errands and nearly forget yesterday’s horrors.

It is called Collective Amnesia. And it is our only survival kit. For now.

BYE BYE

24 hours left for year 07 (depending where you are on this globe).
Did we lose a year? Or did we gain one (in maturity or stupidity?).

Who cares if 365 or 3,650 days passed by?

Earth is still turning.
The sun still rises and brightens us with its million watts.
Humans are still sad, happy, stupid, smart, selfish, adorable, caring, in love, in hate, giving, taking, hurting, soothing, singing, dancing, hoping, destroying, killing, burying, mourning, believing, forgetting, building, creating, protecting, born, growing, sick, cured, learning, teaching, leading, gathering, talking, explaining, listening…

Humans are here to stay for a while.

And so are we…

My message is: See the big picture.

Imagine you are flying in a beautiful silver and gold space shuttle with sparkles, and looking at earth. What do you see?

Humans just like you. Everywhere.
Look at the sparkles around you. Give some to others. A handful is enough to create a smile. Forget the small things that nag you. They are not worth it.
Take one day at a time. This is just a journey, an adventure. Learn and teach.

Happy 2008 from Absolut Beirut.

Giving is a funny thing

When do you really give, from your heart without expecting something in return? When do you give with a genuine desire to help and not only to feel good, or feel better?

Recently I was confronted with pure poverty in the midst of Beirut. A piece of land where approximately 10.000 squatters of Lebanese and Palestinian origins are living illegally in huts made of leftovers of bricks, remains of colorful billboards and used tires.

Dr Agnes, a French citizen living in Beirut is volunteering, on a daily basis, by medicating theses illegal squatters, treating their diseases and illnesses, fixing their psychological and physical problems, giving them some sort of dignity and easy-to-understand wisdom that might better their living.

My encounter with Dr Agnes happened a week ago. I am still reliving every detail in my head, and this is slowly altering my view on life, people and the “why we are here” matter.

I realize more and more that what I have is so much and that my daily complaints are oh so futile.

Giving something to these people is now my concern. While sorting out clothes and toys to give away, I suddenly remembered someone saying that you only truly give when you give away something that you really need.

no president?

Let’s imagine for a moment that we do find a president for Lebanon.
Let’s assume that he is democratic, decent, intelligent, strong-minded, just, and independent, with no criminal records and with a vision of the New Lebanon.

Then what?

Then we might need to wake up. And realize that such a person do not exist and remain alive on these borders. That Lebanon, despite its 64-year-old independency is not a unified, or stable country.
That maturity requires wisdom, patience, vision and trust. All values that are lacking in the current Lebanese political arena.

So?

We wait. We hope. We dream. We educate.
And we wait again for a new generation that might carry some of the values that are needed to create a democratic Lebanon.

Beirut gets a lifting

Urbanization and presidential elections (presumably this November) go hand in hand in Beirut. During the weeks prior, we noticed added value to the eclectic scenery of our city. The municipality is very busy; building sidewalks and thus replacing the thrill we once had when walking on the streets. They are creating beautiful and large sidewalks along the 3 km Corniche by the sea. Aluminum fences replace the shabby blue-painted rusty metal ones. Apparently they are sturdier should we encounter the long awaited tsunami, promised by National Geographic few months ago!

I also noticed this morning frantic workers setting up traffic lights on the very popular street of Mar Elias. Trying to make our roads more civilized and orderly makes me smile. The street of Mar Elias is ruled by chaos. Traffic lights will only add to chaos. Some of us (those who once lived in northern European countries where crossing the road at a red light practically got you a fine) will try to abide by the traffic lights. Others, Lebanese drivers who probably got their driving permit during the war by merely showing up at the police station, will deliberately ignore the lights, thus creating more chaos.

New president or not, parts of Beirut are getting a well deserved lifting. This is a bit refreshing and entertaining while we are waiting for revolutionary transformations.

Walking in the streets of Beirut is a wonderful thing.. You discover hidden places, magical alleys, forlorn doors and flowery windows.. all part of the scenery that I cross everyday by car but do not actually see. So I decided to stop the car and just walk and contemplate. Part of the architecture of Ashrafieh (east Beirut) is influenced by the French, which makes you forget where you are. Even the people in their little shop salute you with a Bonjour when you walk in.

A world apart.

Here is a picture taken few days ago.. these buildings tend to disappear and are replaced by gigantic and sometimes monstrous concrete buildings.