Today is April 13, 2020.
It is the anniversary of the Lebanese civil war.
Just like today, 45 years ago, a sad chapter of the recent Lebanese history began.
Luckily, life stressors end, even when they last for fifteen years or more!
Every year, Lebanese people remember this sad day.
Forgetting about this tragic anniversary may risk bringing back the ghost of war. Didn’t George Santayana say: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it“?
Today, an apolitical and non- confessional Lebanese peace NGO called “Offre Joie” (established since 1985) invited all the confined population to get out on their balconies at 7 PM to sing the Lebanese anthem with them. Bambi thanks her sister (hi Rania!) for sharing the moving link. Bambi would like to share it with you, even if she could not find a more accessible link to it (she is not on FB).
Bambi was moved to see a physically handicapped guy (from war maybe?) along with two other talented persons singing acapella (of course, whilst respecting social distancing). It was moving to see an elderly man paying tribute to Lebanon from his balcony (a beautiful salute). People applauded at the end:
Below is a song that became the symbol of war in the mind of so many people…. Including Bambi. It is by Fayrouz, a Lebanese diva who does not need any introduction. The song is about two kids, a boy called Chadi and his female friend (the singer). They used to play together where one day a battle started. War separated them… forever. Yes, Chadi died. His friend survived. As the song goes, “twenty snow seasons came and went by, but Chadi did not grow up with me. He remained that little boy playing with snow”. Anyhow, although moving, the song is SO beautiful. The version below is sub-titled in English. Sorry if it will bring moving memories to some of you… It is a Fayrouz masterpiece after all.
To ask for your forgiveness, if that song was moving in pandemic times, here is the Lebanese anthem, meant for kids, sub-titled in English ?:
Enjoy!
To conclude this post, today happens to be a very joyful day as well. Of course, it is Bambi’s childhood friend’s birthday (hi Rita!). Plus, this past weekend it was Aline’s birthday. Here is Happy Birthday to both both posted with love. It is strictly in Arabic just to make you smile, and with some chance, dance too ?!
