Category: Sackville’s Memorial park

This post is meant to share two brief podcasts worth watching. Thank you L’Orient Le Jour for the moving insights by these children and youth.

Following the two podcasts, if you wish, you may listen to Mr. Mario Pelchat’s song on Lebanon’s cedars, with its powerful lyrics. Bambi translated them on her blog three years ago. For your convenience, she is re-sharing them at the end of this post. SADLY, this older French-Canadian song remains timely.

To end on a more hopeful and joyful note, the last song is a beautiful French song by Mr. Enrico Macias, entitled “Enfants de tous pays” [ Children From All Countries], that Bambi also posted in the past. An English translation of its lyrics (https://shorturl.at/uvO56) is also shared below.

May all the children be safe and able to play. May peace and love prevail.

A quick translation of “the Cedars of Lebanon” (by Mr. Mario Pelchat)

“Gaping holes

Like anthills where homeless roam

Where the people of Phenicia once lived

From the East of blood, genes and Arabian language

Screams, tears

And rage in the heart for so much violence

While we swim elsewhere under rains of abundance

It is often when we cry that we experience indifference

What are we going to say

When danger surrounds us,

To our children who question us

Who we try in vain to teach

The verb “to love”?

What are we going to do?

If not find some refuge,

Hope for another flood

Or kill yourself to understand

And forgive

Twilight

Like the life that disappears under the rubble

Another night to invent the end of the world

A new era where you are no longer afraid of your shadow

Sentries

Which remind us that we are not at liberty

On a land that we did not choose to inhabit

Under the wrath of a God we want to appropriate

What are we going to say

When danger surrounds us,

To our children who question us

Who we try in vain to teach

The verb “to love”?

What are we going to do?

Otherwise confide in the stars

Praying to the saints of the cathedrals

Because we are too little to understand

To forgive

A strong people

Who still believes that tomorrow will be different

Like a treasure that a giant knows how to recognize

As are, in the north, the cedars of Lebanon.”

“Enfants de tous pays” [Children from All Countries]

“Chorus:
Children from all countries
Hold out your bruised hands
Sow love
And then give life
Children from all countries
And of all colours
You have in your hearts
Our happiness
It’s in your hands that tomorrow our earth
Is going to be entrusted to go out from the night
And our hope to see the light again
Is in your eyes which awaken to life
Dry your tears, throw out your guns
Make of this world a paradise
Chorus
You have to think of our fathers’ past
And of promises which they never have kept
The truth is to love without any borders
And give every day a bit more
For wisdom and wealth
Have just one address: paradise
Chorus
And on the day when love on the Earth
Becomes king, you can rest
When our prayers are covered in joy
You can have your eternity
And every laughs of your kingdom
Will make a paradise
Chorus”.

It is both easier and cheaper to fight with the flesh or blood of others in a far country. This is what Iran is doing, with the Lebanese people, in its fight against Israel. This is what it has been doing in Gaza through Hamas.

Similarly, it is less costly, and potentially more rewarding, for Israel to fight Iran on the Lebanese soil; neither in Iran, nor on its own land (despite the bloody tit for tat with the Hezbollah).

Same for the United States (et al.?). Who cares about Lebanon if the latter’s interests with Iran are being preserved, perhaps at the expense of the Land of the Cedars? Who cares for Israel some would even say, even if they may send weapons, boats, or a few soldiers for support?

When it comes to the military-wing of Hezbollah (or what is left of it, at least for now?), it sadly seems to remain unwise, and even suicidal, because it appears to still insist on linking the fate of Lebanon to the one of Gaza, denying the unfolding Lebanese tragedy and, with it, part of the history of the Lebanese civil war (https://tinyurl.com/mpjc5x2r).

In the meantime, the people of Lebanon are, once again, paying the price of a regional fiasco by being held hostage by all these powerful players.

One may be tempted to only blame Israel for the cruelty of its fight for its existence since October 7, 2023, especially now with the insane destruction, killings, and invasion of Lebanon (and earlier with the tragedy in Gaza). However, one would be unfair, and even delusional, without also acknowledging the evil role of the Iranian regime, which has fuelled and/or perhaps triggered the Hamas attack on Israel and the resulting regional fiasco. Of course, one cannot help, but to also notice the weakness of the official Lebanon when it comes, once again, to deciding to initiate or to stop unwanted wars.

If you live in the Islamic Republic of Iran, hating Israel from far away, along with the United States, is cheap. If you are a fan of the regime, you just throw your hand in the air and shout in Farsi: “Death to Israel, death to America“. As mentioned earlier, guess who is paying the price of Iran’s slogans and its conflict with Israel now? Lebanon. Is their anything more unfair than this sad truth?

May God protect Lebanon, which deserves better. May it remain in harmony domestically and, eventually in the far future, learn to become truly neutral with all its neighbours and nations of the world, including those who have fought on or occupied its beautiful land. You may agree or disagree, you are free. So is Bambi who is sick and tired of senseless wars, lack of vision for solutions of endless conflicts, and of worries about loved ones.

What a beautiful, and sadly timely, French-Canadian song from the 1950s that Bambi often posts on this blog (may Mr. Raymond Lévesque’s memory be eternal).

If you are interested, you can find an English translation of the lyric on this website: https://shorturl.at/aQMih .

May this song, especially on Thanksgiving Day in Canada, bring hope for love.

On May 30, as per an older post shown further below, Bambi denounced a shooting at a Jewish girl school in North York (Ontario). Thankfully, no one was injured back then.

Sadly, yesterday on the symbolic day of Yom Kippur, another shooting targeted the same school overnight. No one was injured, thank Goodness. This unacceptable violent incident is still being investigated by the police (https://shorturl.at/tN9xj).

Of note, similar violent incidents took place in Montreal during the last academic year (https://shorturl.at/0sY3r). However, in all Canada’s provinces and territories, there must be zero tolerance for violence toward any public or private school, including both secular and religious ones (whether Jewish, Islamic, or other). This is the least at all times, to begin with, and especially during a senseless yet cruel war, which is taking place miles away, including in Bambi’s birth country more recently.

Indeed, all Canadians deserve to grow up, learn, work, and live while being as well as feeling safe. Thus, enough of intimidation toward youth and parents of Jewish heritage in our peaceful country. It is no one’s fault if there is an armed conflict in the Middle East.

Instead, why don’t we learn or re-connect with the value of tolerance, as per the beautiful French song of Mr. Enrico Macias shared below? It is performed, with a personal touch, by a talented singer, Mr. Pascal Leyman. Below, you can read the song’s lyrics, which Bambi translated on her blog three years ago (English is followed by the original French).

“Tolerance is proof of love and intelligence

Tolerance is respect for life in all countries

Tolerance is to have a lot of indulgence for your neighbour

Open your heart instead of clenching your fists

For no reason for nothing

All forgiven for the tears

Of a child or of a woman

We are never loved

By fear or by severity

Understanding the ideas of others

Without wanting to impose our own

It is in this world a virtue

That we lost

Tolerance is reasoning about the passions of difference

Tolerance means recognizing to everyone their divine rights

Tolerance is the last chance for today’s humans

If they don’t want to no longer live in freedom

in a few years

Despite the many disagreements that still exist between us

Everything can be discussed if we know how to forgive first

Whatever the naysayers of all stripes can write

Mourning the future, I still refuse

Tolerance will eventually win out over backbiting

And on that day, on earth

There won’t be happier than me”.

Original French lyrics of Mr. Macias’ song:

« La tolérance, c’est une preuve d’amour et d’intelligence
La tolérance, c’est le respect de la vie dans tous les pays
La tolérance, c’est d’avoir pour son prochain beaucoup d’indulgence
Ouvrir son cœur au lieu de fermer les poings
Sans raison pour rien

Tout excusé devant les larmes
D’un enfant ou bien d’une femme
On est jamais aimé
Par crainte ou par sévérité
Comprendre les idées des autres
Sans vouloir imposer les nôtres
C’est dans ce monde une vertu

Que nous avons perdue

La tolérance, c’est raisonner les passions de la différence
La tolérance, c’est reconnaitre à chacun tous ses droits divins
La tolérance, c’est pour les hommes d’aujourd’hui la dernière chance
S’ils ne veulent pas ne plus vivre en liberté
dans quelques années

Malgré les nombreux désaccords qui entre nous existent encore
Tout peut se discuter si l’on sait pardonner d’abord
Qu’importe ce que peuvent écrire les défaitistes de tous bords
Porter le deuil de l’avenir, je m’y refuse encore

La tolérance finira par l’emporter sur la médisance
Et ce jour là, sur terre
Il n’y aura pas plus heureux que moi».

—

Canada: what have we become as a society to, once again, find ourselves worried about shooting of a Jewish school in the name of a war at the other end of the world?

The late and GREAT tenor Pavarotti who was born on October 12, 1935, left our world on September 6, 2007 (https://shorturl.at/iz6vt). In this post, Bambi pays tribute to him, with his own voice and insights from an interview she discovered while preparing this post.

Of note, the chat mentioned above (in English, sub-titled in Arabic), among him and two TV hosts, took place in Lebanon many years ago. From it, Bambi learned that Mr. Pavarotti was initially a school teacher and his father was also a tenor. She learned a lot of interesting details stemming from his childhood in Italy.

Of course, Bambi was already familiar with Pavarotti’s charity work in partnership with the Red Cross and in support of refugees. Being “a child of war” and being filled with sensitivity, he was a great philanthropist and ambassador of humanity.

“Grazie“/Thank you, Mr. Luciano Pavarotti for having existed, for your incredible legacy, and for the generosity of your heart. May your memory be eternal today more than ever.

Happy Thanksgiving long weekend, if you are reading this post from out of Canada. All the best to you and to your loved ones. May you all always find reasons to be thankful for and to make the best out of each moment of your life.

If you are reading this post from out of the United States, it is not your turn to celebrate yet. Hang on until your own (American) Thanksgiving :).

As for everyone else, outside of our beautiful Canada, may you have a restful time. If you are a reader from a country in war or while being impacted by war in one way or another, please be safe. Remember to find your own ways to preserve your sanity. May you keep your spirit up as much as possible under the unpredictable or harsh circumstances.

If she may, Bambi will now take the opportunity to wish her readers/family/friends who may be perhaps highlighting Yom Kippur (Jewish Day of Repentance) a rewarding time of fasting, prayer, and self-reflection. May inner peace prevail in your hearts.

All this being said, with her permission, it is time now to share with you some of Brittany’s stunning pictures, all taken yesterday evening without any editing or filter. Wow! Bravo to her and thanks to Mother Nature. Long live New Brunswick’s charm!

May the Northern lights inspire or trigger your own beautiful light, dear readers. Let the light of humanity, love, kindness, and seeds of forgiveness shine on yourself, to begin with, and on others. Such light is much needed at all times, especially in our sadly dark world.

Bambi thanks her friend in Central Canada for sharing a musical performance, of a song called Voilà, that gave her goosebumps. Indeed, listening to the TALENTED singer, called Ms. Barbara Pravi, on her phone before closing her eyes to sleep last night put an instant smile on her face, along with a silent tear.

However, beyond this musical discovery, there is Bambi’s wonderful friend who warms her heart each time he inquires about her family in Beirut. Indeed, their enriching 26-year-long friendship is one of the most beautiful blessings of her life. The latter is true at all times, especially when life seems surreal yet sadly not surprising. Merci, cher ami❤️!

As for you dear readers, it is Bambi’s wish that you will enjoy this post with its two songs: Voilà as well as “A Prayer to Heal” [Une prière pour guérir, in French], also shared by her friend. Of note, following the second song, you can find an English translation of its lyrics, as provided by YouTube.

May the healing power of music comfort all the aching hearts. May this beautiful song give us all hope for brighter days for our deeply troubled world, especially (but not only) its Middle East. As for you, Aliènette and Ms. Pravi, thanks for existing. Please keep singing!

“It’s nothing

That a pain that lasts and lasts,

It becomes armor or a brake

A beautiful morning

It’s nothing

Everything dies and fades and that’s good

Even the smell of a flower, of a perfume

It all goes away

Everything, we heal from everything

I don’t ask for anything

Even on my knees, I wait, I hold

Yes, I remember everything

We heal from everything

I don’t ask for anything

I hope in everything

It’s nothing,

Yes, it’s part of the way

Because everything passes and trains pass

Until the next one

It’s nothing,

On a world scale, no, nothing

Yes, cherish every second that comes

Cherish yours

Because after all

We heal from everything

I don’t ask for anything

Even on your knees,

I wait, I hold,

Yes, I remember everything

We heal from everything

I don’t ask for anything

I hope in everything

I’m waiting for tomorrow

I’m waiting for tomorrow

And nothing and no one will burn in the summer

Will not impose autumn, in our decided hearts

To not let anyone slow us down, hold us back

I swear I sing it, we’re going to enjoy growing old

We will smile again

We will dream again,

We will love each other again

And even stronger

We are going to grow our hearts until we go crazy and even if it’s scary!

We heal from everything

We heal from everything

I don’t ask for anything

Even on your knees,

I wait, I hold

Yes, I remember everything

We heal from everything

I don’t ask for anything,

I hope in everything

I’m waiting for tomorrow”.

Bambi was deeply moved when she received an email from Jihane, Firas’ sister. The war in Lebanon made her think even more about her brother in heaven, wondering what his thoughts would have been about what is happening. As well, she thought about how upset her brother would have been to see their/our beloved birth country destroyed once again. Bambi thanked her and shared that the latter also crossed her mind.

This being said, below she will share with you one of Firas’ articles that his sister pulled out. It is one of her favourite pieces. You will see why below. First, and in bold, you can read the original French text. Second, you can read its English translation by Bambi with the assistance of the faithful Mr. Google translate.

May Jihane and her family members be all safe and sound. Bambi sends her (broken) heart to them. May Firas’ memory be eternal, today more than ever. May he watches over them and over his beloved Lebanon from heaven. Most importantly, may he keep uniting and inspiring us postmortem, just as he did during his short life among us.

“Sarajevo… ville au destin brisé

Sarajevo, une ville au destin brisé. Encore un rendez-vous manqué de convivialité et de pluralisme entre différentes ethnies. Toi qui ne voyais qu’un avenir plein de Lumière, ton ciel est aujourd’hui illuminé par celles de la haine. Tes toits aux tuiles rouges sont massacrés par les puissants souffles d’explosions. Tes enfants ont oublié à quoi ressemble une nuit de sommeil. 

Et comme si la douleur ne te suffisait point, ils t’ont aussi humiliée: tu as été trainée sans vergogne sur tous les écrans du monde et à la une des journaux. Ton âme malmenée et ton corps couvert de sang sont exhibés partout. Le message est clair, ils veulent montrer à des téléspectateurs et lecteurs qui ignorent le goût d’une nuit passée dans une cave humide à se demander si viendra un lendemain, que la folie peut frapper n’importe où, n’importe quand même au Coeur de l’Europe. Que la guerre n’est pas seulement le lot d’une Afrique affamée, d’une Asie pliant sous le poids d’une démographie galoppante ou d’une Amerique latine déchirée par les tiraillements idéologiques. 

Ils déploient au premier coup de feu – pourtant prévu – des caravanes d’aide humanitaire et des soldats de la paix baillonnés, qui finissent par être les otages muets de la violence. 

Ils envoient leurs représentants dans d’interminables ballets diplomatiques, font pression sur un tel, essaient de faire taire tel autre et font semblant de vouloir satisfaire tout le monde. Malheureusement, personne ne l’est et la violence reprend de plus belle, pour aboutir de nouveau sur une solution façonnée dans les grands salons des capitales de la décision. Au fond de toi, tu sais que le remède ne peut absolument pas venir des mains de ceux qui n’ont même pas le courage de dénoncer les coupables par leurs noms. 

De ceux qui par hypocrisie, ou de peur de froisser une ex-puissance pourtant agonisante, refusent de te prendre entre leurs puissants bras protecteurs. 

Seuls tes enfants qui, eux, ont goûté réellement aux malheurs qui se sont succédé à la porte, peuvent te sauver. Quand le moment viendra, ils le feront sans hesitation aucune, d’une main sûre et d’un pas rassurant. Sarajevo, sèche tes pleurs, demain tes mosquées et tes églises revivront, et le printemps sera au rendez-vous, celui que tes propres enfants t’offriront!

Un enfant de Beyrouth. 

Serge F. Merhi

Montreal, 15 Fevrier 1994”

“Sarajevo… city with a broken destiny

Sarajevo, a city with a broken destiny. Another meeting lacking conviviality and pluralism between different ethnic groups. You who only saw a future full of Light, your sky is today illuminated by those of hatred. Your red-tiled roofs are massacred by the powerful blasts of explosions. Your kids have forgotten what a night’s sleep feels like.

And as if the pain was not enough for you, they also humiliated you: you were shamelessly dragged on all the screens in the world and on the front pages of newspapers. Your battered soul and your blood-covered body are on display everywhere. The message is clear, they want to show viewers and readers who are unaware of the taste of a night spent in a damp cellar wondering if there will be tomorrow, that madness can strike anywhere, anytime, even in the heart of Europe. That war is not only the lot of a starving Africa, of an Asia bending under the weight of a galloping population or of a Latin America torn apart by ideological tensions.

At the first shot – although expected – they deploy humanitarian aid caravans and gagged peacekeepers, who end up being the mute hostages of violence.

They send their representatives into endless diplomatic ballets, put pressure on one person, try to silence another person and pretend to want to please everyone. Unfortunately, no one is and the violence resumes with a vengeance, leading once again to a solution shaped in the great salons of the decision-making capitals. Deep down, you know that the cure absolutely cannot come from the hands of those who do not even have the courage to denounce the culprits by name.

Of those who, out of hypocrisy, or for fear of offending a dying former power, refuse to take you in their powerful protective arms.

Only your children, who have truly tasted the misfortunes that followed one another at the door, can save you. When the time comes, they will do it without hesitation, with a sure hand and a reassuring step. Sarajevo, dry your tears, tomorrow your mosques and your churches will come back to life, and spring will be there, the one that your own children will offer you!

A child from Beirut.

Serge F. Merhi

Montreal, February 15, 1994”

Montreal-based, Nicola Ciccone wrote a moving French song on love following the 9/11 tragedy. Bambi shared it on this blog, 3 years ago, while remembering this awful day.

Sadly, Mr. Ciconne’s song remains timely in our deeply troubled world, especially miles away in the Middle East and, sadly closer to us, including the streets of Montreal yesterday afternoon (https://shorturl.at/Gdj8T; https://shorturl.at/5VTRE). Indeed, what appears like a provocation (i.e. choice of the day for these demonstrations, as expressed by all panelists), vandalism, and unwise slogans of exclusion or cancellation toward anyone or even any nation (i.e., including the one attacking/invading Lebanon right now), are simply unacceptable in Canada, especially on a sad day for humanity like October 7. Plus, all this does not help in finding solutions or serve peace one day. It can only risk adding fuel to the fire.

Indeed, conflicts are clearly more complex than we might think when we are upset. Who knows? Perhaps some of us might be more prone to thinking that matters are black and white (good or bad, this or that, etc.). They are not that simple. There are shades or nuances we might be missing, despite any good intention.

Regardless, she does not know about you, but in Bambi’s mind, innocent people of all sides deserve to stop suffering. When will everyone heal, live in safety, dignity, hopefully peace, and ideally love?

To conclude this post, it is Bambi’s hope that love will prevail in people’s hearts (despite grief, anger, despair, or any preferred side or tribe). Following the YouTube song, if you wish, you can read an English translation of Mr. Ciconne’s beautiful French lyrics.

“They are more than six billion

And we are only two

To want love

Be the greatest of the gods

They say we are crazy

That we do blasphemy

But we stay standing

We never believe them

They are more than six billion

And we are only two

To see that all these wars

Only serve heinous acts

They say we are cowardly

That they will put chains on us

But despite all their rages

We choose peace

Of course there are days

Where we lose heart

Of course there are days

Where we shipwreck

But despite all these days

Despite all these outrages

We believe that one day

That one fine day

They are more than six billion

And we are only two

To believe that all men

Have the right to be happy

They say we are deaf

That hell is on earth

But despite their insults

We believe in tomorrow

Of course there are days

Where we lose heart

Of course there are days

Where we shipwreck

But despite all these days

Despite all these outrages

We believe that one day

That one fine day

We will be six billion

And they will be nothing

We will unite our dreams

Our joys and our paths

We will go without detours

Rediscover the light

We will be six billion

And they will be nothing

Nothing“.