365 Days of Zen in Lebanon

Well, what can I say? Santa’s been good to me. And probably my most favorite gift was this one:

‘365 days of Zen life in Lebanon.’ Has somebody been reading my mind?

I quote “As we live in a rather agitated country, not lacking sources of stress, hamdellah, and where our adrenaline peaks make it to the Guinness Book of World Records, why not bring things into perspective, be positive, and take things the best we can? (. . . ) Between the crises of our teenagers, the fluctuating political situation, the complete lack of civility amongst Lebanese driver and security troubles, we are not really spoiled.”

The theme of the book/agenda? How to stay Zen while living in Lebanon? Chill. Because no matter what shit you’re in, things could always be worse, 365 times! For instance, on October 10, it reads: “Catastrophe! You have paperwork to do at a Lebanese Ministry.” Say again. My housekeeper’s papers need to be renewed, and I am still waiting for my Lebanese BA equivalence

The funny thing is that the author happens to be the sister in-law of my sister in-law. I didn't know that until I checked the agenda online.  I am sure in Arabic there is a term for that. In English (or in Dutch, for that matter), family relations are not that tight, and so all I can explain it is as ‘a sister in-law of the brother of a sister in-law on my brother in-law’s side’. I meet her once a year during the family Easter egg hunt.

This teaches me 3 things:

1) I’m not the only one having difficulties with their Zen,

2) The Arabic language is much more evolved than the English or Dutch, for that matter, and

3) everyone in Lebanon is related to each other.

Interested? Get your copy here.