New Year Resolution

Ras Beirut at sun set, Sunday afternoon, 16:29 PM

Another year has gone by.

2017 has been a good year for me. At first it was an ‘okay’ year, but while spending time back home, in Holland, my father read aloud the Christmas cards he had received from friends and family (back home they still send real cards, written by hand), and 2017 was not a good year for many, it seems. People got fired, divorced, lost a car, were at home with a burn-out, had to deal with a bedbug plague, got sick, died or lost children.

Both east (left) and west (right) Beirut

And in the light of other people’s misfortune, my year turned out to be pretty good. But even without the misfortune of others, I count my blessings.

And my new year’s resolution? I will try to be a more productive blogger (She said, seven days into the new year), and will work on enjoying Beirut more. I should start by thanking everyone still reading me. May your new year be as good as my old year was.

The cargo cranes at the port

After spending Christmas and New Year’s in Holland, it is good to be back again. I do understand that Europe, or the west in general, is appealing to many people in Lebanon, and I get the economic attraction, but life outside of Lebanon really isn’t everything. I am aware that this is an easy statement to make from my position, as I, the owner of a ‘lucky’ passport which allows me to venture just about everywhere and work in many countries, don’t share the bleak outlook many Lebanese young people have. I actually have a job that allows me to live in Lebanon.

But when I look at the pictures I made in Holland, the first thing that I notice are the colors. The constant overcast skies and darkness (there were days when it seemed like the sun rose at 11 AM and the sun set at 1 PM) cast a gloomy atmosphere over everything.  And you can photoshop all you like, gloomy is as gloomy does. And then I get back to Beirut, and even in the rain, there’s bright and vibrant colors. That’s free vitamin D for you (Vitamin D fight’s diseases, reduces depression and (they say) boost weight loss) .

Boats waiting for their place in the port

Yes, I realize Lebanon is difficult for young people who need to build their own a future, but I went on a little boat ride this afternoon, and I am thinking, this is a good place, and it is going to be a good year,