Day 1: Diary of a wall

Today is a sad day...at least for me...for various reasons...but all interconnected...

Today Israel started building its 1 km long concrete wall along its borders with Lebanon...

The reason...it wants to protect its residents in Metulla...

People will woke up soon to face the wall...to stare at the wall...and most importantly...

They will wake up everyday imagining the worst things ever that they think it is happening behind the walls...

They will tell them that behind the walls...people are getting ready to kill them...and they will believe...

Because they can not see what is happening behind that wall...

They will tell them...monsters live behind the walls...they will believe...

Because they can not see who is behind that wall...

They will tell them...you should live with the wall...it is your only hope for survival...they will believe...

Because they can not see what is behind the wall...

All of this reminded me of the movie Lemon Tree...

I remember, I sat in the cinema in Paris from 2 pm till 9 pm watching 3 movies back to back...

Lemon Tree, 7 days and Waltz with Bashir... I was alone...sitting, watching and thinking...

Thinking how will this hatred end? I never thought it wont end...

But I was curious to know how will it end...what will the day look like...when we in the Middle East look at each other and say...the war is over...

At that time I had no answer...

Today...I can say...when the walls are destroyed...

Walls protect no one... on the contrary they remind people to be scared...

People in Metulla could have sat every morning on the balcony drinking tea or coffee looking at the other side of the border and thinking...why those Lebanese don't build nice apartments or houses the way we do...why don't they cultivate their lands as we do? 

After few weeks...people in Metulla will wake up everyday in fear looking at the wall...thinking of the monsters behind the walls that are preparing the grand attack...they will drink their coffee in fear and anxiety...

The walls of fear are being constructed...while I am writing these words...

My heart is filled with sorrow...

The power of imagination

I always thought that when you love someone...that someone will know without you expressing your feeling...
I still believe in that...
but in case you need to know...yes I love you...
Is it possible to love someone just in you virtual world? of course it is...
You can still love someone even if you have not seen him for a long time...
You can talk to the one you love...even if he is not around...
You can travel with the one you love...even if he is not with you...
Imagination is a gift that those who have it should cherish it...
Imagination and passion are the best fusion to have a great virtual life...a storyline that only exist in your head where you can move your heroes from one country to another, from one situation to another...
This month, I had gone to 4 continents: I started at the beginning of the month in Cameroon, then back to Beirut via Paris, then to London then back to Beirut again then to Peru...
I have done 4 continents: Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America and what did I discover?
I discovered that you can find friends everywhere...once you concentrate your efforts on common things not on what separates you from others...
I found common interest with people from Africa, I found common feelings with people from Europe and I definitely came to the conclusion that I dont know how to hate...
I sat down for breakfast with my colleague from Azerbaijan in Lima, Peru and we found the time to discuss about of kids future...
I could have taken a different path and found 10 reasons why I shouldnt been talking to this guy that my people think is the enemy...
But I sat there...and we talked about 10 things that we had in common...
It felt natural and good...because I only see through people...
It is a blessing to have that strength...if only people could have had that power to see beyond what is enforced on them...We could have had a different life...definitely better than this one...
I only wished you to be with me...
Lima is a wonderful city...
I love you... and miss you...