'Tis the season of birth... and rebirth

Spring on Earth

Last Friday the Earth emerged from the darkness of winter, whizzing into Spring at about 67,000 miles per hour, and for me it couldn't be more timely. Spring feels especially good this year.

The coming of Spring also brings a celebration to us, Hannu's birthday on the 23rd. Forty-three Springs ago, just as the Earth was beginning to pucker up to the sunlight, a young Dernawi couple in Tripoli, named Abdel Rahim and Safia, were frantically preparing for the arrival of their second child. I imagine they had to get a sitter for their first, 2-year old child, make plans for getting to the hospital, etc. I had the fortune of really getting to know the couple last fall. I can say, they are still young... mentally. In fact, their bodies belong in their generation, but their minds are in the next one. The essence of their mentality was shaped in the years of hope in Libya. Hannu was bathed in that powerful hope, being born three years after the re-unification of Libya had been completed, and three years before its complete destruction was resumed...

Happy birthday, Hannu, and many happy returns. You are the light, warmth and hope in our lives, our eternal Sun. Let me see if you recall some of this updated little message...

"نهارك حليب"

"وليلك حلم وردي!"
عناوين من أحلى مكاتيب
إيميلها وردّي

يا عيد عَودك يجيب
أفكار ... بسمات ... وآمال
نبضات يطرن حبيب
ما زال
هي الطبيب وهي سبب مرضي
وهي دوم شمسي القريب
نور عيني ... دفا جردي

يا عيد عاود من جديد
بأفراح ... سنوات ... وأعوام
لأم غمزات تشفي العطيب
وأبسام تضوي
بانن علي ... خلّنّي نبردي!

On Monday, the kids and I treated Hana to a little party at home, inclding a nice tiramisu cake. I have been looking forward to this time of year because I expected Hana would be better by now. The winter months were rough, with Hana going through the hardest phase of treatment, and the terrible weather adding to the misery. We couldn't take walks, or just go set in the sun and watch the kids play. But now that we're through that, I think maybe it was all for the better that it came during winter. After all, consolidating misery is better than distributing it. Hana is doing much better now, and she is actually able to get out and enjoy being out. She still gets fatigued from the chemo, but the nausea level is much less intense. We are almost back to our night time chats, or "green tea and gurma," as I like to call them. The gurma is definitely back, but the green tea and "other night time activities" are still on hold. lol lol I can't tell you how happy I am to be sharing jokes and "sahari" with Hannu again. When planning the day, I wished I could get the kids to do a little routine, but they are still too young to get organized for an extended period. So, I found a little classic piece from the Bill Cosby show. Here, the Cosbys lip-sync "Night Time Is The Right Time" by Ray Charles. Check out the little toothless girl, and enjoy!