The news around the world are rather sad with continuous wars, shootings, shelling, executions, hyperinflation, and security issues. Sadly, there are several hot places, including an unfolding war tragedy in Ukraine, bloody armed conflicts, shootings, or authoritarian states in the Middle East, and last but not least, nations with a risk of a state collapse, like tiny and bankrupt yet still dignified Lebanon.
While chatting with her parents this morning, Bambi learned that in maybe less than 24 hours, Lebanon’s currency dropped in value by over 10,000 Lebanese Lira (or pounds), with an exchange rate of 63,000 to even 70,000 to the US dollar. How do people manage? This has been going on for years. Today seems like the worst day.
How not to lose one’s sanity in such harsh economic circumstances or in long absurd wars or in any other adversity?! Is there any magical recipe of hope?
Luckily, one can use something called humour to distance oneself emotionally from a continuous tragedy. Maybe another ingredient of the hope recipe, for some at least, is to pray for sunnier days? Another coping strategy may be to let oneself be inspired by meaningful words of artists who write and sing hymns to hope, like our talented Canadian singer/songwriter Nicola Ciccone? Bambi will borrow his words that she will translate for you as follows: “After the tears and the sadness, after the storm, and after distress, a sun always rises”.
