Month: October 2023

“Thank you, Canada! Happy Thanksgiving! A Lebanese immigrant’s journey to freedom and safety“.

Aristotle Foundation:

Thank you, Canada!

You can also read this article in the Western Standard by Guest Columnist Rima Azar:

https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/azar-thank-you-canada/article_e34d2822-63c7-11ee-8cd0-db5a4d0a4a6a.html

Affiliated with the University of Toronto, the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), is “Canada’s most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children’s health in the country” (https://shorturl.at/chsyX). Thanks to Mr. Jonathan Kay, Bambi learned the following about BOTH the SickKids and the City of Toronto:

If the Lebanese hospitals managed to keep identity-based politics and ideologies out of their services, during a 15-year-long cruel civil war, why are both the City of Toronto and SickKids getting into this recipe for a disaster? Don’ t they realize that this slippery slope has the potential to bring divisions, possibly even racism (ironically in the name of anti-racism, whatever the latter means), and mediocrity. So, why are Canadian hospital administrators getting into identity-based politics?

Regardless of the political statement or ideology (this is not the issue here), why don’t teaching hospitals’ administrators keep the focus on ONLY serving patients and their families with excellence and compassion? Aren’t hospitals precisely meant for the latter?

Parents of children with both acute or chronic conditions most likely only expect the best care possible for their younger ones. Had Bambi been a parent of a sick kid in Ontario, the latter would have been her only concern, regardless of the ideology in question. Same logic with services of municipalities, even if their next apparently noble ideology will focus on short people with curly hair who migrated to Canada from Beirut in 1990.

To conclude this post, once again, there should be no place for ideologies in medicine, whether political, religious or other. This is Bambi’s deep conviction based on her second life in a country, which has been torn by identity-based politics.

This post is brief. Just musical. One singer, one voice, but different vocal textures, and languages (Arabic, English, and French). Clearly, Ms. Carla Chamoun is very talented and Bambi likes her a lot. How do you find her in these different performances? Did you enjoy them too? Public comments on this blog, or private communications, are welcome.

Bambi still has about two hours before the end of October 4. Of course, she sent her personalized birthday wishes to her childhood friend as soon as she opened her eyes this morning. Now is the time for a musical post for her before going to sleep. Yes, Happy Birthday Jojo!

Since your share this special day with singer Julien’s Clerc who was born before you, precisely in 1947 (https://shorturl.at/fivGI), Bambi offers you a few of his songs. This may perhaps also remind you of our childhood and teen years in Beirut. Following these songs, Bambi will offer you the “Mabrouk” melody (with a double-meaning this year ❤️ :)!). Last but not least, two songs related to October 4: the first one is about school since this has traditionally been the first day of school when we were classmates in “Le Petit Jardin” and later on. OK, apologies to your late mom (“tante Madame Nicole”, our French teacher) because she may perhaps not approve this choice :). As for the second song, it is about friendship.

Bambi cannot wait to see you very soon after many decades. YAY :)… thanks to Dave!!

Sometimes we have the strangest dreams (or nightmares, depending on the perspective) ever. This is what happened to Bambi early this morning. No clue why. Is it because she toured the online news about the Middle East before going to sleep? This could perhaps explain her bizarre dream.

However, it remains odd to dream about Mr. Nasrallah, the head of the Hezbollah…. in her Canada. How weird indeed. It seems that he came to visit the conference room she was in and she just could not believe her eyes. When she woke up, she smiled happily because she was in bed in “Sweet Little Sackville”, and it was just a dream. Lebanon is not in Canada after all… “Phew”, even if she is saying so with all due respect to everyone.

The funny story above made Bambi wonder about the following: what happens if Canada starts, or sadly continues, to remind her of Lebanon during its sad days of lack of unity and isolating fear among its people? Bambi is not talking about civil war, thank Goodness. She is talking about what we are sadly observing in today’s society of Canadians not tolerating each other’s views and even existence anymore (whether political, ideological, social, intellectual, etc.).

We rush into judging others. We sometimes even put them and seal them into boxes, which we dismiss without shame while forgetting about any shared humanity. We do not listen to them anymore, challenge our thoughts (and let them be challenged by ours). In sum, we stop wanting to learn from each other. Luckily not everyone is into this mindset, but we can still wonder: and then what? What will be the outcome of all this divisiveness? Why are we doing this to ourselves and allowing it to happen to us? What about love? Does it still matter? By love, Bambi means love for all. And when she denounces violence on her blog. It is against all. May love, and diplomacy as needed, always have the final word in Lebanon, Canada, and… around the world.

Life is always beautiful: in happiness, sorrow, and in or despite adversity too. For Bambi, this is an evidence.

However, what makes life beautiful, despite its apparent or real cruelty at times? Is it love? Is it friendship? Is it hope (from faith or from other sources)? Is it our shared humanity and support of one another in adversity or in times of grief?

Or is it nature’s beauty or a happy moment like bumping into adorable babies [for those of us who like them] or cute dogs?

An what about the healing power of music? And arts in general? What about the books we read and how they can change something in us or inspire us?

And the influence of our own mindset and outlook on life (or death)? Here, Bambi is specifically thinking of her late mom’s wise words shared earlier on this post: “replace your dark thoughts with beautiful thoughts and life becomes more beautiful“.

The above is well said, but to what extent do factors like our will or capacity to appreciate simple gestures of humanity or kindness, have a sense of humour, or to indulge in creativity influence life’s beauty, at least in our eyes?

Finally, what about gratitude, health , or money? Do they make our life easier or more beautiful? What about dreams, goals, projects, diligence, or simply mindfulness of the present moment and respect of our own needs and rhythms?

In conclusion, this post raised too many questions. Yet there is uncertainty about any final answer. Who knows? Maybe all of the above, to different degrees, at different times of our life stages. Bambi will stop here, she promises. If you wish, you can comment your own thoughts about life’s beauty. She would be delighted to hear from you, whether publicly or more privately. As for her, she will conclude this post by first sharing a picture, featuring the fall season post-sunset, which she received today from out of the province of Québec. Thank you Louis :). Following this beauty, if you wish, you may listen to a deep song by Mr. Nicola Ciccone entitled “Le survivant” [“The Survivor“]. Its translated English lyrics follow the YouTube video. Thank you Mr. Google Translate for assisting Bambi in sharing the beauty of the French-Canadian lyrics/music with her dear readers.

I spent my entire life

Counting the injuries

Facing troubles

Overcoming the walls

I received contempt

I received insults

I have seen dark days

I’ve had some tough times

Today I spend my life

Pretending to smile

To everyone who told me

That it was better to die

I have a heart that has learned

That stopped suffering

That brought out the evil in it

To make way for the future

I am still alive

Even if life hurt me

I am still alive

Even though the world is unequal

I am still alive

Even if the time is deadly

I still live

I’m holding on, God I’ve come a long way

I spent my entire life

To fight against mountains

To repress my desires

To repress all my anger

I grew up in oblivion

I grew up on drama

I screamed

I shed tears

Today I spend my life

To give me pleasure

Even if all my enemies

Would rather see me moan

I have a heart that has grown

That stopped suffering

That faces life

And that doesn’t want to run away anymore

There are days when I fall

There are days when I do not see the world anymore

There are days when I’m wrong

But I’m moving forward”.