May It Be... Lebanon

The Most Amazing Mother

Birds Invasion, Paris

The Wedding Of Winter And Spring

Our Boat

Sassine El Nabbout Photography

It was not that difficult to choose… it is the one that pleased our eyes…
The river was calm… the winds were soft and somewhat cold… but who cares… we were together…
We looked at the boat bottom… there were water…
A feeling of trouble filled us… we checked the other boats… "they are all the same"…
You said: do you know how to swim?
I said: yes… and you?
You said: if you know, I have nothing to fear…
You were the first to enter… moments of disequilibrium… I hold you and the boat with all my power…
When it was my turn… I thought I can do it alone, but it was worse… when it calms again, a smile was drawn on my face… your hands was holding me and the boat…
We were hiking… your eyes were mine…
Go to the right… go to left… turn around… watch out…
I remember every word… every smile…
The orchestra of birds was around us… I never heard them singing that much…
They said that this day will be a bad one… but it was the best day…
Sailing to where we don’t know… but very sure as if we were there many times…
We didn’t talk that much… we were just looking at each other and at everything…
Parrots were imitating our few words… and they are repeating till now…
Our visit was the origin of that legend…
All the habitants and visitors of this region are thinking that the trees talk… and the echo of “I love you” is filling this forest…

A Small Gesture

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a
Friday? He must really be a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends
tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.
His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet
from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around
looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks.” “They really should get lives."
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"
There was a big smile on his face.
It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen
him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.

I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.
He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends
He said yes.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked
him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books
again.
I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are going really build some serious
muscles with this pile of books everyday!"
He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a
problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football
scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.
He had to prepare a speech for graduation.
I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great.
He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.
He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.
Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech.
So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and
smiled. " Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began: "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those
tough years.
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly
your friends...
I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best
gift you can give them.
I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the
first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to
do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told
us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.
Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions.
With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse.

God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way.

Look for God in others.

Solitude

"When you're down to nothing, God is up to something"

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: "How is my little boy ? Is he going to be all right ? When can I see him ?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."
Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer ? Doesn't God care any more ? Where were you, God, when my son needed you ?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son ? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. "Would you like a lock of his hair ?" the nurse asked.
Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. "I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom." She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.
She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:

"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say "I Love You". I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD ! And guess what, Mom ? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom ? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him ?' "God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children. Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool ? I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery ! How about that ?

Signed with Love from God.

If The Autumn Leaves Talk

The time is moving on, and we are not seeing the sun anymore…
Even if she appears… as soon as we look at her, she hides herself behind a cloud…
Days are becoming lazy…
We feel that there are no more things to do…
Ah! It is really cold…
Look at humans and animals… everyone below is collecting… working hard…
Winter is knocking on the door…
Do you think that we can continue working?! Without rays?!
We think that our factories will be closed for a while…
We have to free the way… the incoming leaves are younger…
What to do until we leave…
Why are you looking red?!
Why are you looking yellow?!
I told you… I’m closing my factories…
Oh my God! I’m afraid from death!
Don’t be afraid… it will be so smooth…
Why we live in a temporary fashion?
Why we can’t stay forever?
Don’t be afraid! Even if we die, we will be the power of the next generations…
Our good ingredients will resuscitate again… while our unusable body will stay in the soil…
Why is it like that?
They said: everything is made for the glory of God…
I didn’t understand… Why are we not like cedars? Always green?!
My dear! God didn’t make human for us… but he made us for human…
Look at this one staying at our mother base…
It is the color…
The secret…
Color is one of the secrets of life…
It attracts the eyes… the souls…
Do you think that’s it?!
I think…

And the wind blows…
The leaves fly… turned many times before reaching the soil…
Ahhh! What a wonderful world…
Now we will cover the earth…
Seeing it from above is not enough… we have to touch it…
I adore this sensation… flying without knowing where I’m or where I will be…

Some ones has the chance to stay near home… another ones fall in the creek, and they saw the valley of dreams… another ones were hidden in the caves… another ones covers the roads… another ones reach the human houses… and all the others are still flying with the birds to the warmth…
But don’t forget… there are many ones still catching there mothers… not accepting to leave… or fearing to leave…
Many ones are thinking it is death… while it is the rise of a new season… but, with darker colors…

Special

Photo From Lelici On Webshots

Even if your colors resembles to the way ones, you are still special and I will easily find you…

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Cherokee Wisdom