For her relatives, friends, and readers who happen to spiritually celebrate Easter, Bambi will happily shout in Arabic: “El Massih Kam”! The later means “Christ is risen”. Those who are familiar with this Arabic Easter greeting will reply Hakan kam, which means Truly risen!
To those of you who either celebrate Easter culturally or just respectfully, even if it does not mean anything to you personally, Bambi wishes you Happy Easter times!
This being said, now is the time to let music have the final word. The first song below is a brief joyful Byzantine prayer in Arabic, mixed with some Greek, by Ms. Christiane Najjar. If she may, Bambi will offer this piece to Adlette from Montreal for having kindly thought of Bambi’s mom in heaven and for having expressed the following deep thought: May Easter finally bring the resurrection of Lebanon. Well-said, thank you. The second melody is an Easter kids’ song in English. It is meant to remind us of the importance of having fun and of not taking ourselves too seriously :). Last but not least, the third masterpiece of Mr. Johann Sebastian Bach happens to be the favourite Good Friday/Easter musical pieces of Gabi from Halifax. Bambi would like to thank her dear friend for having kindly shared this performance with her yesterday. He made her day and she remains grateful. What a treat to the ears and to the soul!
Thank you Mr. Tart Vader, from Pangburn, for your outstanding questions, thoughtful insights, and active listening skills. Bambi enjoyed chatting with you a lot!
Bambi has never been to Florida yet. Through this post, and thanks to Joëlle’s generosity, Florida’s beauty is coming to her, and now to you.
Below, if you wish, you can take the time to appreciate Joëlle’s most beautiful pictures; some of them were taken in the morning and the rest in the evening.
Finally, this post will end with two songs. The first is a must. It is Mr. Armstrong’s What a Wonderful Word (sub-titled in English). The second melody is meant to celebrate Joëlle and Dave’s uplifting love story that made them call Florida home. It is Mr. Michel Fugain’s C’est une Belle Histoire [It is A Beautiful Story], which is performed by by Mr. Claude Capéo.This famous French song, is not sub-titled in English for your and for Dave’s convenience, but since when does the language of love need to be translated :)?
A picture taken by Joëlle in Florida, USA.
A picture taken by Joëlle in Florida, USA.
A picture taken by Joëlle in Florida, USA.
A picture taken by Joëlle in Florida, USA.
A picture taken by Joëlle in Florida, USA.
A picture taken by Joëlle in Florida, USA.
A picture taken by Joëlle in Florida, USA.A picture taken by Joëlle in Florida, USA.
Bambi had an earlier post on “Air Passenger Rights (see further below). The latter “is an independent nonprofit organization of volunteers, spearheaded and coordinated by Gábor Lukács” (https://shorturl.at/lMST6).
The airlines and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) are challenging the validity of the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) before the Supreme Court of Canada. They are argue that the APPR is contrary to Canada’s obligations under the Montreal Convention (https://shorturl.at/ryCQ5).
Guess what? Dr. Lukács was grant an “intervener” status in this important case. He submitted a 10-page factum to the Supreme Court of Canada, in addition to presenting 5-minute oral arguments, as shown below!
Of note, this Dr. Lukács’ second time in front of the Supreme Court of Canada and he won his first case. Wow!
For those who may be interested, the complete hearing’s webcast is available on the Supreme Court of Canada‘s website: https://shorturl.at/agkrK .
To thank Dr. Gábor Lukács for his time and try to making smile, Bambi will offer him a kids’ song by Little World related to airplanes (with Baby John in English and Bébé Louis in French, respectively). She urges him to keep up his great work that will benefit everyone!
If kids are all the same, they ALL deserve to grow up in love, as per Mr. Francis Cabrel’s beautiful song. Bambi just came across a publicly shared YouTube video, or rather audio (with French sub-titles), of “Il faudra leur dire” [We Should Tell Them], as performed by Mr. Patrick White and his talented young trainees. An English translation of the lyrics follows (https://shorturl.at/bkrG2). What a lovely and always timely performance. Bravo!
“Il faudra leur dire” [We should tell them]
“If it’s true that there are people who love each other
If the children are all the same
Then we’ll have to tell them
It’s like perfumes you breathe
Just an easy look to make
A little more love than usual
Because we live in the same light
Even if there are colors they prefer
We would like to tell them..
It’s like perfumes you breathe
Just an easy look to make
A little more love than usual
Just a little more love still
For less tears
For less emptiness
For less winters
Since we live in the hollows of a dream
Before our tears touch our lips
We’d like to tell them
The words we receive
It’s like perfumes you breathe
We’ll have to tell them
Easy to do
A little more love than usual
If it’s true that there are people who love each other
Before reading this shocking, yet not surprising, story of intimidation in her birth country, Bambi did not know anything about Assistant Professor Makram Rabah from the History and Archaeology Department at the American University of Beirut (https://shorturl.at/gjSZ4)
While reading media articles from Lebanon, in both English (https://shorturl.at/jozAQ ; https://shorturl.at/jrDY0) and French (https://tinyurl.com/xea3sxma), she discovered a highly courageous scholar who does not seem to be afraid of speaking his mind. She also learned that he is a close friend of the late Mr. Lokman Slim, a brilliant political analyst, notoriously anti-Hezbollah, who was cowardly assassinated in February 2021. Bambi has several posts honouring the memory Mr. Slim. Sadly, his murder remains unpunished.
To come back to Professor Rabah, it seems that he recently gave an interview in which he expressed his objection to Lebanon’s involvement in a potential war with Israel and in which he criticized the Hezbollah. He even joked by making a comparison of its drones with “those used at wedding celebrations” (https://shorturl.at/jozAQ).
Following the above interview, the Lebanese General Security (or judicial police) questioned him from 9 AM until “early afternoon” and took him into custody, imagine. He was finally released on bail. His so-called investigators wanted to confiscate his phone. He categorically refused to hand it to them, especially that he may have not had it on him at the time. Bravo to him him for his spine. What a courageous man, especially given the tragic loss of his friend a few years earlier. Good for him for the legal protection during this unpleasant encounter. Indeed, Professor Rabah arrived to his interrogation session with his lawyer Mr. Lou’ai Ghandour.
Related to the above, Bambi read in an article by journalist Claude Assaf, published first in French in L’Orient Le Jour (https://tinyurl.com/xea3sxma) and then in English in L’Orient Today (https://shorturl.at/jozAQ) the following statement by the lawyer in question: “Taking away a citizen’s phone is an infringement of private property,” his lawyer Lou’ai Ghandour told L’Orient-Le Jour. “Makram Rabah was questioned by the General Security for comments he had made in a political interview. The hearing therefore had no connection with his telephone.”
Like any other citizen, Professor Rabah has all the right to publicly express his opposition to war and to criticize the hegemony of any political or military group on his beloved country, including the Hezbollah or its allies.
Enough of intimidation and censorship, regardless of the topic, the messenger, the group in power, and/or the regional context. Lebanese authorities must re-learn to respect academic freedom and freedom of expression. This value must be collectively protected in times of peace as well as war or even fear of a potentially bigger war. Luckily for Professor Rabah, and especially for the hope for freedom, many citizens showed up to support him (https://shorturl.at/jozAQ).
To conclude this post, and as a reminder of the brighter days of Lebanon, Bambi will end with the famous words of the late Pope John Paul II, as reported in and older 961‘s article (https://shorturl.at/hjxSU), “Lebanon is more than a country; it is a message of freedom and an example of pluralism for East and West”.
March 21st is Mother’s Day in many, if not most, countries of the Middle East.
Of course, March 21st also coincides with the spring equinox (keeping in mind that, due to the leap year, the start of spring arrived a day earlier in 2024).
Bambi wishes everyone highlighting Mother’s day a beautiful one!
As far as she is concerned, she sends her love to her sisters, relatives, friends, and readers who may be celebrating motherhood. Of course, this year has a different flavour in her family with our beloved Robine in heaven since end of August. If she may, Bambi would like to offer her mom a song, hoping you will enjoy it too. It is by Mr. Claudio Capéo and it is in French and Italian (subtitled in both languages).
“SOS d’un terrien en détresse” is a beautiful 1978 French song about the suffering of an earthling who wants to escape from earthly life. An English translation can be found online (https://shorturl.at/jptCQ). Mr. Alexis Carlier’s unique voice, singing talent, moving rendition, and beautiful recent video clip in nature are a treat to both the eyes and ears.
