Hope: The Untold Story 

by Ayman Knaifati

Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” – Nelson Mandela 

The resilience of this woman is unbelievable. The courage she has, gives hope to all her neighbors. That day I started my first session for positive parenting and child protection with the caregivers, and as I entered her two-room apartment in that uninhabitable building; I saw her seated on her knees, surrounded by five children, tutoring them with such discipline and tidiness. I asked her if she does that often, and she said that she’s the only one in the building who is literate, so she helps the kids with their daily homework. My first material was an activity about the caregiver’s responsibilities towards the child. Fluently, she started citing the responsibilities as her daily chores. Our lady of hope is a mother of four, three of whom were enrolled in school till the crises happened. 

My first Psychosocial session was with ten mothers who were interested in the child protection program; their living conditions were an obvious added struggle to the many layered difficulties they face living in Lebanon.

The building was far short of proper sanitation, sewage systems, doors, yet our lady of hope greeted us with sincere kindness into the space she had created; a well-maintained corner, with dozens of kids she tutors regularly.

When asked about her background, she tells me she had graduated high school in Syria, before the crisis forced her and her family to move to Lebanon in 2013.

Shortly after, her husband had left to Syria in 2015, and hasn’t returned or been heard from since.

Our lady of hope has been a single parent since, and in the face of adversity has chosen not to crumble in despair. Instead, she chose to educate kids, creating a well-woven community in the process, and making ends meet for her family financially.

It is in these encounters, that social workers are reminded of the importance of providing the necessary support to help people whom, in their personal efforts, constantly try to better their conditions and the lives of people around them. I’m just glad I was part of this support.

Plato app-

I have never been a game enthusiast.  Since I was a child the only game I enjoyed was solitaire, but then Plato happened! 

I found Plato app by accident. I was looking into poker games through App-Store. I tried Zynga and played it for a period of time but I couldn’t enjoy it. Every time you log in a thousand couple million ad pops into your face. Besides the graphics was too glittery I really couldn’t focus on the game! 

The triggering thing about Plato is the simplicity of it. The founders of Yahoo games of which probably a lot of my age grew up with, re-formed it as Plato with the same DNA to continue the same theme of bringing people closer together through great games. Honestly, limiting the app to games and text only is what makes it fun. Unlike other apps, swapping photos and videos while trying to pull a dice in backgammon! 

I have met a lot of interesting people in games. Personally, I always preferred Hold’em-Poker over any other game. Poker people are distinctive and intriguing. You have the serious ones like Reed and Shadow and the fun hyper active players like LuvNot and Eliphino and many other colorful players who come and go. Plato really succeeded in pulling an online subculture of various types of players. 

I really hope you enjoy the app, and if you did download it I will set you a good poker table with decent players. 

Download the App Plato

International Emergency Online Rally: No War in #Ukraine – No to NATO — Rise Up Times

“This is URGENT! We are horrified at the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. We must come together across borders to demand a diplomatic solution to the present crisis.”

International Emergency Online Rally: No War in Ukraine – No to NATO — Rise Up Times

DO NOT Repeat History

Thank you for reading this

 I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor
That’s not my business
I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone
I should like to help everyone if possibleWe all want to help one another, human beings are like that
We want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery
We don’t want to hate and despise one another. Greed has posioned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world – millions of despairing men, women, and little children – victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. 

The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. ” 

Charlie Chaplin – The Great Dictator

We are signing this petition as a moral obligation from us who have been raised on the memories of war and violence inherited from our fathers and grandfathers. We can not tolerate any act of violence upon any circumstances. We are not cattle, we are not animals, we are human beings so start act like one.

 Some of us witnessed wars and some did not. Yet, no matter where we are from we have one voice united; Give Peace a chance and stop the war.

Sign our Petition

Is it the time to quit Facebook?

Saturday afternoon on December 18th, that is the date when I decided to quit Facebook. 

Like many other users I got drifted into the blue platform of self-conscious. I have pressed the LIKE button more than I can remember. I have consumed knowledge of worthless celebrities and influencers. I know what is in Laila’s closet more than I do in my mine, and I don’t even know fucking Laila! Facebook recommended her for me and I accepted the recommendation. 

Don’t get me wrong, this is not a social revenge – fight the system phase I’m going through, and it is definitely not a self-healing new age voodoo shit. I googled “reasons to quit Facebook” and I found out people dealing with the issue as a substance abuse! Are we that addicted to others opinions and lifestyles? 

Well, Facebook gave me 30 days to have second thoughts about my deactivation. Now that’s a big “LOL”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against social media, on the contrary I think it is a great tool to reach for Humanitarian Causes, fund raising, business ventures, political debates, but seriously don’t make it your personal mirror projector. I hope you will have the courage to do the same and click on that button and get it over with, because really there are more important things in life than wasting your time comparing yourself to others.

 

I drank the moon’s reflection

شربت خمرا من إلاهي القمر وشبعت بضوئه 

سمعت سجال الأطياف فإنتظرت  

قفص من مذاهب وغلمان 

مسوج برقائق النعمان 

ولكن …

نتن يفوح منه رائحة الأديان 

سلام قول ومن قول يهان 

سقطت علي لوحة فنية بعنوان 

كفرت بإلاهكم  فأنا مجرد انسان  

فرجعت إلى القمر وإليه المستعان 

by ayman knaifati

“Is the sweetness of the cane sweeter
Than the One who made the canefield?

Behind the beauty of the moon is the MoonMaker.
There is Intelligence inside the ocean’s intelligence
Feeding our love like an invisible waterwheel.

There is a skill to making cooking oil from animal fat.
Consider now the knack that makes eyesight
From the shining jelly of your eyes. . .”
― Rumi, The Essential Rumi

full moon Beirut

” A man called Ove” F.backman free ebook

And time is a curious thing. Most of us only live for the time that lies right ahead of us. A few days, weeks, years. One of the most painful moments in a person’s life probably comes with the insight that an age has been reached when there is more to look back on than ahead. And when time no longer lies ahead of one, other things have to be lived for. Memories, perhaps” –

Hello again, as I promised you before I posted for you a good book I have read recently. Enjoy and stay safe.

A man called Ove – F.Backman free e-book

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