Author: Bambi

1. Hello Louis. Can you tell us what is your understanding of the Worldwide Rally For Freedom?

I don’t know the details behind the Rally, but I’m in favour of the concept of freedom generally, so I’m interested in going. Apparently, being in favour of freedom isn’t a given in our society these days. That’s what this is about, to me.

2. Why does it matter to you to attend this event?

We live in an era where freedom is under attack, mostly by far-left elites. Unfortunately, most people are too scared to object in public, because of economic consequences: being fired, having their professional qualifications withdrawn, losing access to government funds, etc. This unfortunately leads to a situation where only those already on the fringe dare to be seen to object to these attacks on freedom. On account of this, I think that it’s extremely important for “normal” people to show up and be heard. This will encourage more of the same, and make the large number of people who are too afraid to say what they think in public become less afraid to make their voices heard. The very reason why the far-left attacks people who speak out so badly is to isolate the masses from realizing that they’re not at all alone in their opinions. Opinions which I’ll point out were in many cases completely uncontroversial even 10 years ago.

3. Bambi has the utmost respect for your courage because it does take guts to express one’s opinion, even in a clever town like ours. If there is anyone who grasps the danger of modern identity politics in Sackville, it is Lebanon-born immigrants like her. For her, this movement insists on seeing all of us not as individuals but as an extension only of our colour, gender, ethnicity, etc. We are defined and trapped by our identity and we define and trap others by it too. Of course, dividing people in such ways is not new. However, history teaches us it can be dangerous (especially when politicians play with the fire of identity politics). In your opinion, is there a risk of this radical left movement calling for a radical right movement (a real one, not the alt-right Bambi has been accused of among other absurdities, just to try to censor her)? If so, how can we prevent it?

If anyone’s courage should be respected here, it’s Bambi’s.

As for this town, it’s not clever. What you have is a dominant ideology of blind followers. It actually increasingly resembles a cult, complete with love-bombing, chanting and shunning.

There is absolutely the possibility of a radical right movement coming into existence as a response to the insanity of our times. At present, I can’t say that I’m concerned about extremes on the right. They exist, but they’re inconsequential. In future years, they may be a real concern, however.

What we’re actually seeing now is an increasingly powerful elitist authoritarian smug far-left that has taken over much of universities, government, the court system and even made huge inroads into large corporations. It’s not necessarily economically far-left, in that it’s happy to cooperate (and co-opt) the corporate sector, but it’s definitely authoritarian, and increasingly radical. Huge sectors of our society are in constant fear of them and of being their target, if that doesn’t say enough.

4. Had you had children, would you have been worried about their education and future? Why/Why not?

Absolutely. There’s no way I’d want my kids going to today’s schools, as a start.

As for the future in general, if we continue in this way, in another 5 years or so, we’re in the position that Argentina is in now. Another 10-15, we could be Venezuela. Hopefully we come to our senses before then. I’m far from sure that we will, however. The people who push (or go along) with today’s trendy ideologies have no idea what world they’ll be leaving their children. Or possibly, their desire to “fit in” is so strong that it keeps them from thinking about it. It’s quite sickening, really.

5. Will it get better after the above scenario, in your opinion? Just to end on an optimistic note…

Collective insanity and revolutionary zeal eventually burn themselves out, in the same manner that other organizational structures decay: those in power start to care more about protecting their positions than about the stated goals of what they’re doing, and over time, become less and less efficient, and more and more ridiculous. The late days of the Soviet Union come to mind. But that’s the very long term, and there were many decades of true horrors under Stalin before that. It’s much better to avoid going down that road in the first place. People don’t realize what they have until they lose it, and that’s a big part of what’s wrong with today’s society. Freedom is taken for granted. It’s all a game to the far-left radicals. But it won’t be a game forever. It can get deadly serious–literally.

Thank you for your time, Louis. Best wishes.

Bambi has promising news to share before heading to sleep: she finally managed to get over Mr. Charles Aznavour’s Emmenez-moi song, which was stuck in her head all of yesterday. She felt sorry for anyone who could have heard her froggy humming, especially Louis [thanks for his patience :)].

What song is on her mind today then? Smart as you are, you may take a guess from the title of this post that respective hints would be both flowers and friends.

Indeed, in less than 24 hours, Bambi received four beautiful cards of condolences from beloved friends across miles and oceans. Their kind gesture moved her heart, which also melted at the sight of virtual flowers from a good friend and reader, Fred Klein. The latter kindly accepted her request to share his beautiful pictures. Long live friendship. Long live flowers. Long live our loved ones in heaven ( hi mama 💚!) and all those whom we are blessed to have in our lives…

In general, Bambi enjoys being tuned into the present moment. Yet, there are times where, most likely like you too, she feels like being instantly “taken to the land of wonders” . Can someone just take her, drop her, and forget her there? Are these impossible wishes what made her hum Mr. Charles Aznavour’s song upon waking up and throughout the day? Indeed, she kept singing this melody, even in awkward public places like washrooms. She is about to go to sleep and yet this beautiful French song, subtitled in English, is still on her mind. It is her hope that tomorrow morning she will wake up with another song :).

To conclude this brief musical post, Bambi would like to hear from you if you feel like sharing: do you also sometimes have specific songs stuck in your head, so to speak? And, if so, what are some examples? Do you hear yourself humming these melodies in public?

Maya’s mom (and aunt) are the childhood friends of Robine, Bambi’s late mom. Of note, the now middle-aged adult children of these friends, and their own children, are friends. Yes, this loyal companionship continues from one generation to the other. It survived civil wars, migration, Beirut explosions and injuries, etc. It has celebrated joys and lives of loved ones in times of sorrow. It has shared laughter and tears as well as dreams and, at times, bitter realities. It will always be filled with both much love and continuous hope.

Bearing the above in mind, in less than two hours in Beirut, it will be Maya’s birthday. Like a little child, Bambi cannot wait until midnight to dedicate the September 20th (2023)’s post to her friend. May her new year be as beautiful as her, inside and out. Yes, this means HIGHLY beautiful :)!

To highlight Maya’s big day, with much love, Bambi will offer her a few songs. The first French one is entitled “Un ami” [“A friend“]. Its English translated lyrics will follow the music. Thanks to Mr. Google Translate for his assistance and very silent yet sweet birthday best wishes [OK that was a silly joke, just for you Maya : )]. The other two songs, in both English and Lebanese-Arabic respectively, do not need any further description. They speak for themselves. Happy Birthday Maya ❤️!!!

A FRIEND

“A friend, it’s a morning that is about to start

A gift when you wake up from your dreams

It’s a bird that comes to sing in our ear

It lights up like a ray of sunshine

A friend is a rainbow of a thousand colours

A four-leaf clover, bringing good luck

It’s a scarf around our neck that keeps us warm

A tattoo forever on the skin

Chorus:

You and me, me and you

Me for you, you for me

You and me, me and you

United like ten fingers

A friend is so much more precious than a diamond

On our sorrows, our sorrows, a bandage

It is a large tree, the most beautiful oak in the forest

To whom we entrust our little secrets

A friend is sometimes fragile like crystal

It’s also very strong like metal

In the storms of life, an umbrella

It’s a star that shines in the night

Chorus:

You and me, me and you

Me for you, you for me

You and me, me and you

United like ten fingers

A friend is a heart that beats in unison

When he sings a song with us

Together we are as much double as half

A friend is the whole universe

A friend is the whole universe

A friend is the whole universe.”

She does not know about you, but Bambi loves her daily moments of little pleasures. For instance, the latter may consist of simple examples like feeling the fresh air on her skin when she opens the house door to start her day. It could also be an exchange of smiles when encountering a friendly face on the street. Other examples of pleasurable moments may be anything like the little sound of two pieces of puzzles that accurately fit together. Regardless of the days, there is something beautiful in all of them. Perhaps in a journey of grief, we appreciate such rewarding simple moments of life even more.

Today, bearing the above in mind, Bambi was running from one location to the other at her workplace when she bumped into a man who was walking a VERY cute dog. First, she did not expect to see a pet then. Second, what an adorable one!

Indeed, with a smile of joy, Bambi told this man that his dog is so cute. Although the charming encounter lasted only a few seconds, it was enough to make her cherish this moment. Indeed, she was blessed to have other beautiful moments over the day (and now evening or rather night). Yet, this dog remains “the cutest moment” of her day. Not surprisingly, she is smiling now in front of her computer screen while recalling this lovely moment. Thanks to this dog for making her day. All in all, she cannot help not to be grateful for a rather beautiful day, despite any hidden tears in her heart.

Last but not least , like Bambi, your own little daily moments of pleasure may be related to different matters. Examples could be anything from your first sip of coffee when you wake up to a spontaneous dance movement while listening to your favourite music, and/or to a fulfilling evening where you sit on your patio to enjoy nature or dive into a book. In the end, very little is needed to contribute to your fulfilling daily life.

To conclude this post, may we all make ourselves comfortable and happy in one way or another. May we enjoy our simple moments of joy, regardless of any mixed feeling of sorrow, which may be buried deep in our hearts or hidden under our smiles.

Thankfully, there is laughter in our world and there are still funny people in Canada like Mr. Mark Hachem. Below is a very brief sketch about “Arab dads”. Bambi hopes you will enjoy it as much as Louis who saw a resemblance to her behaviour, especially when he can’t find her in the house :).

Despite its beauty, life is tough at times. It is even cruel for some of us.

Indeed, as Bambi is writing these words, her own grieving heart goes to dear friends in her small community who suddenly found themselves mourning a spouse, a father, a friend, a colleague, and a caring health professional.

At the same time, both her mind and heart are filled with good wishes for close ones, including many readers, who may be celebrating the Jewish New Year. May the latter be a sweet one to each one of them.

New Years, new starts of journeys, or new dreams to envision are wonderful opportunities for hope of self-renewal or of exciting little or bigger life projects. Thankfully for us, we are the own managers of our lives. At times we create the life we want. At others, we change our mindset to adjust to life abrupt changes, including its cruel ones. We learn to face, accept, embrace even, and ideally integrate our losses in our lives. With time and perspective, we turn their end to a new beginning.

Of course, we can rely on our social network for support, as needed. We can also embark on inner journeys of self-discovery and re-commitments to self-kindness and to a sweet friendship with the little child within us.

How do we do that? Each one of us has his or her own agency and creativity. There is no single recipe for all. We listen to and respect our own needs. We can be open to suggestions from loved ones. We try and change coping strategies, as needed. We learn from others and from our own experiences. The underlying idea here is that our personal sense of responsibility can empower us to choose and to create the life that we want.

Without much philosophy, Bambi will stop her reflection here. She prefers to leave you with a couple of uplifting songs in English and Arabic. She wishes you a wonderful day, with or without tropical storms or hurricanes. May you be safe. May you be happy. May you remember that, regardless of the seasons, you are the creative manager of your life. Long live both the artist and the child in you.

With an apparent drama of social distancing and masks on, Dr. Tam and her health professional colleagues (who work for our federal government) seem to want to induce fear in our minds. Indeed, Dr. Tam “recommends masks and updated COVID vaccines this fall” (https://shorturl.at/cjpOP).

Of course, people are free to still (or to always) use a mask or not. They are free to still get vaccinated or not. Those of us who are more physically vulnerable may still chose to do both; luckily the access to vaccination is free of charge for all.

Bambi’s problem is not with the above. It is rather with what looks like a fear-inducing drama, by our government officials, without presenting the full scientific story, or epidemiological data, to justify their recommendation. Instead of presenting us with the facts, as they are, they prefer to play on our feelings of fear. Is this a wise approach to communication with the population? Does it work on you?

She does not know about you, but Bambi finds such indirect and incomplete communication rather insulting to her intelligence as a deer citizen, despite any noble intention of governments. This is why, in her mind, she prefers to ignore this press conference. She will replace it with more amusing musical thoughts.

Indeed, if she may, she will now offer Dr. Tam et al. a lovely French song. The latter, which is performed by Dalida with Mr. Alain Delon, is entitled “Paroles, paroles, paroles” [“Words, words, words”]. Bambi has offered the latter to Mr. Justin Trudeau in the past in relation to different topics. For your convenience, the song is sub-titled in English.

Tomorow is the Holy Cross Day. If Bambi is not mistaken, this feast is observed in both Eastern and Western churches, that is across Orthodox, Catholic, and in several Protestant traditions.

The brief spiritual music featured in this post comes to us from out of Saint-Mary’s Greek Orthodox church in Beirut, Lebanon. The pure voice you hear in the video is Ms. Zeina Farah’s voice praying for Jesus Christ. You can see the latter on a wood cross, which symbolizes his victory over death through resurrection (the essence of the Christian faith).

If Bambi may, she would like to dedicate Zeina’s beautiful prayer to: (1) Nicole from Montreal and her parents in heaven; (2) her mom, now in heaven, and her dad who is grieving her loss. Peace, and much love, to his aching heart and to the hearts of Bambi’s sisters as well as all those who love Robine 💜. This same prayer is also offered to two readers of this blog: (1) Robert, Louis’ dad, because he knows how to appreciate Byzantine chants and (2) Achim because he is into both music and deep faith.

To conclude this post, Bambi is SO proud of Zeina who happens to be her first cousin once removed. She is a fan of her voice while being blessed to be related to this most beautiful woman (inside and out!) 💚. Please keep singing prayers Zeina. Keep soothing our hearts and souls while inspiring our minds.

Last year, Bambi paid tribute to Algeria-born and France-based Rachid Taha on his birthday anniversary, which was September 18. Today, she feels like honouring him again, but on his death anniversary, that is on September 12 (https://shorturl.at/lxyU5). Mr. Rachid Taha was a Rai singer and songwriter who died at age 59 from a heart attack. His unique music is a fusion of north African style with punk, rock, and techno.