Happiness, sadness, love, disappointment, safety, and fear…
Feelings that are all too familiar to us Lebanese when discussing our country. Contradicting, isn’t it? Moments of bliss and pride in being Lebanese intermingle with disappointment and anger when our rights are violated. To wake up one day full of hope for our country and our hardworking youth, but then watch that hope fade away with the lies of our politicians, that some still blindly follow. There are moments where you feel safe and at home, and there are moments where you get overwhelmed by the daily dark news and events. You insist you never want to leave this Paradise, but sometimes you feel like you are left with no other choice. You feel your heart growing more and more heavy with every passing day and start thinking: Should we stay or leave? Should we remain in a fractured country or seek out stability and prosperity elsewhere? Can we endure this misery, or should we pursue a better life and a fresh start?
While our experiences may justify the urge to leave, the real question remains: can we actually bring ourselves to leave everything behind and start anew?
Since childhood, we've grown accustomed to hearing about relatives or friends emigrating abroad, some consider it while others refuse, saying "ma mnetrok lebnen”! We used to wait for summer family reunions and hate airport farewells. Even those who leave, leave their hearts and souls in Lebanon. Ironic, isn’t it? We keep complaining about our homeland, yet even when we decide to leave, our souls protest against it. We keep looking for an escape from all the misery we are enduring here, yet we crumble and feel our hearts break when anything happens to our beloved country. We think that if we leave, we will find happiness elsewhere. But the truth is, we might just lose it. We will lose our sense of belonging, our home, and joy.
Lebanon is both life and chaos, love and misery. And being Lebanese is both a blessing and a curse. Because even if you stay in Lebanon, you will never be completely at ease, and if you choose to leave, you will forever feel incomplete. If you are considering leaving, you will only know how much Lebanon means to you after your departure. In the tug-of-war between the mind and the heart, the heart invariably wins. Listen to its counsel, for there truly is no place like home—no place like Lebanon.
Do you know what is somehow more soothing? All Lebanese are in this conflict of hearts together. We are all fighting this dilemma that has been imposed on us and our families ever since we were young. Despite all our differences, no matter how much they continuously try to divide us, we all share the same love for our nation. You might not notice that, but we heal when we are home and die slowly when we are far from it. We share one collective heart—a heart that perseveres, fighting for the same love, beating for our homeland, the land of cedars and enchanting valleys. Do not be fooled by the idea of leaving, fellow Lebanese. I already warned you about its consequences, so leave at your own risk…