This blog often features the singing talent of Ms. Abeer Nehme in different languages. It seems that this highly talented artist was born in a family of gifted musicians. Bambi has only recently discovered her siblings, one after the other (e.g. George, Ziad, etc.).
Today, she would like to share with you an uplifting YouTube moment related to the Nehmes. Their family wedding event took place most likely on July 5, 2023 in Lebanon. “Mabrouk” [or Congratulations] to the bride and groom who were offered The Prayers song by sister Abeer and brother Ziad. Long live music, love, and gatherings of friends and relatives.
To conclude this musical post, and if she may, Bambi will allow herself to offer the newlyweds the latest shorter and adapted version of Mr. Ramy Ayash’s Mabrouk song, as it was performed in Paris on July 13, 2023. She will also offer the same song to her dear friend Jacinthe who is celebrating her birthday today. Oui, chère Jacinthe “c’est à ton tour de te laisser parler d’amour”, as we joyfully sing in Québec, Canada 💚 :)!
This post shares two pictures, which Bambi took this evening on the way back to her small town called Sackville.
She does now know about you, but Bambi had a beautiful day from its start to its end. Not any day though. One where her late mom was almost constantly on her mind (since yesterday before closing her eyes to sleep). Indeed, she was still vividly present in her spirit, even while driving.
Clearly, Robine would have loved the view of the skies of Sackville during this drive, especially that she visited this charming Canadian small town four times in her lifetime (with Bambi’s dad). Of note, one of their visits took place in the late fall, or early winter, just like this time of the year. Interestingly, while Bambi was at work, Robine and Antoine drove all over the South-Eastern region of the province, including its charming beaches.
To conclude this brief post on a musical note, Bambi will offer her mom in heaven Ms. Isabelle Boulay’s French-Canadian song entitled “Perce les nuages” [Break through the clouds] (https://shorturl.at/jrY15).
“Break through the clouds
From here to the open sea
In the open sun
You amaze me
From the horizon
Take your beams
Warm me up
I need it
You, the wind of the sea
Go and tell my mother
How much I love her
And how beautiful she is
Go towards the horizon
Take my song
Sing it
To her ear…”
A picture taken by Bambi on the Trans-Canada highway toward Sackville, NB.
A picture taken by Bambi on the Trans-Canada highway toward Sackville, NB.
In Canada’s neighbouring country, this season of the year is a time to be grateful for the harvest and to enjoy time with family and friends. Bambi wishes her American friends, relatives, and readers a Happy Thanksgiving! Yes it is today, if you did not realize you have a day off yet :). Have fun everyone!
Thank goodness, there is music in life. For those of you who do not know him, Mr. Francis Cabrel is a highly talented French singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer (https://shorturl.at/quV34). It is already his birthday at his end in France (tomorrow at Bambi’s end). May he have a wonderful new year. May he keep spoiling our ears with his songs filled with an uplifting sensitivity and beautiful melodies!
Bambi posted Mr. Ghassan Rahbani’s powerful song, entitled “What is left of Lebanon” upon its release a few months ago and translated it from Lebanese Arabic into English. Today, on eve of Lebanon’s Independence, she is featuring this song again (with its translation), along with a picture of City Hall in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI). She took this picture herself about 20 days ago. In it, you can see the Lebanese flag, which was meant to honour Prince Edward Islanders with a Lebanese heritage. Of note, among the latter, there is Mr. Joe Ghiz who became premier in 1986 (the first Canadian premier of non-European heritage, it seems). Interestingly, his own son who is called Mr. Robert Ghiz also served as PEI premier (2007-2015). On one hand, what an achievement for immigrants. On the other hand, what an open mind of PEI voters who recognized political talent and/or popularity.
To end this post, Bambi sends her love to the people of her birth country. In her mind, they just want to live with dignity and safety. They have been through crisis after crisis lately. They are tired. They surely do not need to be dragged into (another) war. May common sense know how to prevail. May only love have the final word in the Middle East as well as around the world, including our big and beautiful Canada. As for PEI, long live this lovely and welcoming small Atlantic Canadian province. For those who do not know it, it is twice as small as Lebanon and it is the birthplace of Confederation.
“What is left of Lebanon after you took it?”
What is left about Lebanon? Words you did not say yet.
There was some misery and the promise of tragedies.
What is left, what is left for the rest, I hope you will leave.
What is left of Lebanon, I wish you would forget.
And you sleep for two eras, so we can forget what you did.
Because in this country there are people, not herds.
Every time an hour ticks, they walk away.
What did you do in Lebanon, I hope you remember.
Because my little ones won’t forget.
And the humiliated people are the ones preserving Lebanon.
I wish you would leave. Stop the killing.
What is left of this land after you plundered it.
We even dream of a future that you took out of our mind.
What is left of Lebanon, what is left, nothing worth it.
You fight for it until you divide it.
What is left of Lebanon after you ate it?
You stole the light from the sky and the air you breathe.
Leaders on behalf of the sects (or religions), you made your country a farce.
What you stole from Lebanon, it’s time for its return”.
Thank you Charlottetown. A picture taken by Bambi on November 4, 2023.
Have you ever heard of the World Hello Day? It has been established in 1973 to recognize “the role communication plays for preserving peace. The day also encourages world leaders to use communication rather than force to settle conflicts”. The World Hello Day started as an initiative following “the conflict between Egypt and Israel”, called the Yom Kippur War“. Who is behind it? Well, two brothers, Mr. Brian and Mr. Michael McCormack came up with this initiative. Of note, they mailed 1360 letters in seven different languages in order to encourage world leaders to get involved in their initiative (https://shorturl.at/jzGQW).
Bearing the above spirit of this day in mind, we can cry now over the current fate of prospects of peace in the Middle East (as well as in other dark parts of the world). Indeed, we are very far from channels of communication between individuals, and by extension nations, which build promising bridges among them, instead of the abysses or walls of the absurdity of violence.
This being said, Bambi will end this post now. It is getting late at her end and even deer need to sleep. So, now is the time to shout “Hello” or “Bonjour” to each one of you while wishing you inner peace, love, and a lot of fun.
There are days when our hearts are heavy, namely in times of farewell of beloved ones [good-bye/thank you, DEAREST Myrna, 💜], or when the world seems to be growing darker in the middle of our collectively insane times. Who knows? Perhaps it is on such days that we long for lightness.
Today’s ray of lightness comes to us from a Walt Disney‘s character that stood up the test of longevity for 95 years. Yes, Bambi is talking about Mickey Mouse who is celebrating his birthday.
You may like, dislike, or be indifferent to Mickey Mouse’s charm. However, according to Britannica, he is “the most popular character of Walt Disney’s animated cartoons and arguably the most popular cartoon star in the world” (https://shorturl.at/adkBJ).
Well done, cute Mickey Mouse. Thank you for the smiles. Happy Birthday from Bambi!
Music can be closely related to our emotions and memory. Indeed, we tend to be very nostalgic to the music we grew up on when we were young. Maybe those songs or melodies remind us of happy times of our lives? Maybe they are associated with our friends or with meaningful life events like parties, graduations, or romance?
Regardless of the above, Bambi has always appreciated French music. Today, she has a specific thought for Mr. Alain Barrière. For those who do not know him, he was a French singer-songwriter. He was born on November 18 (like tomorrow), 1935 and died of a cardiac arrest on December 18, 2019. His heart literally stopped beating only twelve days following his spouse’s death (https://shorturl.at/bjqFT). May their joint memory be eternal.
Mr. Barrière’s legacy is impressive and Bambi can sometimes hear herself singing his beautiful songs (even without having listened to them for ages). This is what happened to her lately. Luckily for you, as readers, you cannot hear and be traumatized by her singing through posts. Thank goodness, your ears are well protected from the frog’s voice : ).
To conclude this musical post, Bambi wants to leave you with the following question raised in the title of this post: to what extent are you nostalgic to the music of your youth? In other terms, do you still recall, cherish, and love it? If you wish, please feel free to publicly share with us one of your favourite songs from your younger years. Alternatively, and if you wish, Bambi will be happy to hear from you more privately.
Today was the International Tolerance Day (https://shorturl.at/tyS14), in addition to being George’s birthday [happy new year to him again 💚!]. Bambi shared this song on her blog once in the past. In standard Arabic (and sub-titled in English), it is meant for tolerance, shared humanity, peace, and love. It was composed by Mr. Ziad Rahbani for his mother Fairouz in 1981, that is in the middle of the cruel Lebanese civil war (1975-1990). The powerful and wise lyrics are by Mr. Gibran Khalil Gibran. Needless to say that this musical piece applies to any absurd violent conflict of the world.
