Every day counts

By now you know I love living here.  Beirut has a fascination that lights a spark under my feet.  I walk to school, 15 minutes along the seaside, "The Corniche".  I have made friends with many merchants whom I see every week:  Bassam, the hummos-making magician, Faouzy and Silvana at the Bourgeois where I find ready-made meals and conversation, Hiba at the Nail Spa, Hassam and friends at the pool. Then there's the roasted nuts guy, the A& P shopkeepers who sell me housewares and share political opinions, and Rania at the bank who straightens out the mess ups. There's young Mohammad who runs a rose out to me as I pass his flower shop, and Osama the green grocer who charges me the lowest prices in Beirut.  Of course, at the top of the list are my teaching friends, swimming and singing friends, hiking and concert-going friends. How lucky can I be?

Looking to the north from Harissa.

Margaret and Carolyn at Cirque de Soleil, Beirut

Tracie, Todd, Andre, Phil, and Casey on Mt. Lebanon

Julianne and Cowther on Mt. Lebanon

When Kate came to visit, I think she felt it too; the welcome, the allure, the wonder.  Yes, this is the Middle East, but what a place it is, from Sea to City, to snow covered mountains.  It's all here.  So accessible.  Enchanting.  In Arabic, French, and English. My Cuz Gordon referred to Beirut as, "The halfway house to the Middle East."  This seems true!  There is an amazing blend of cultures here, with several universities in walking distance. It's all about tolerance and communication; East meets West. Last week's marathon said it all; "Run for Peace! Run for Lebanon!"

There is instability. There are religious differences.  Broken buildings and piles of rubble tell a story of devastation and fast change. Maybe because of these things, there is a sense of urgency; a sense that today is all that counts. So you fill up on today, every day.  You savor the friends, the view, the water, the air, the light.  You walk briskly and think about how lucky you are... every day.

This is how I live.  Every day counts.  I am motivated by this intensity that permeates my being.  And I love the people, the broken buildings, the salty water, the walking, and the singing, because I am reminded every day to Live Now.

Sun setting over Beirut from Mt. Lebanon