"L'auberge rouge" is empty...

"L'auberge rouge" is empty... I can't hear a sound and I don't see a silhouette walking back and forth while on the phone!!!

Seeing you for the last time in my room, resting in my bed was very hard...but I was so hopeful... Your eyes... those eyes that said ten thousand words... and that smile that was hiding so much pain... As usual, you were so strong... so considerate... you worried so much about the others but never about yourself... I told you to wait till my return but you had to go... You had to let go and you took that last flight to a beautiful unknown...

We were all over the place together... from Bangkok to LA... from Capetown to Vancouver... but never to Lebanon... YOUR Lebanon that I SO wanted to see through your eyes... that I promised to do it with you... The closest we got to it was through Fairouz's voice and Majida's lyrics (magical concert moments that I shared with you). I still can't listen to those CD's but I know that with every song I'll think of you and for every new one of our famous "translations" I'll have a smile for you...

Fairouz is screaming "Waynoun" and Majida is choking with " Bakkir Falleit"... and I'm roaming in an empty red place!!!

Mounir Kattan

Montreal-Canada

Serge is now in a better place

I have been a fan of Blog Trotter for the past months. I am very saddened by the news that Serge has passed away. I am sorry and deeply affected by it. I was just a reader, and always found witty and entertaining his thoughts.

Hope you find resignation and have faith Serge is now in a better place.

Elie

Die Gedanken sind frei!

When you were 17 and I was 16 (a year before moving to Canada), we went to the Goethe Institute in Beirut to learn German. I can’t recall how many times we used to sing “Die Gedanken sind frei” on our way to school, a popular old German song celebrating the freedom of thoughts. This is the song, which I will always associate with you in my heart:


Die Gedanken sind frei
My thoughts freely flower,
My thoughts give me power
No scholar can map them,
No hunter can trap them,
No man can deny:
Die Gedanken sind frei!

Firas, your voice echoes in my ears right now. Between my tears, I smile remembering how you once turned this meaningful lyric into a funny (but still very appropriate) version.

Free like a bird (as in the song), you lived your short life to its full extent, realizing so many great things in such little time! As you lived (fully, intensely), you passed away by flying in a rush to the after-life.

Brilliant, talented, loving, caring, courageous, crazy, and so handsome! You touched so many lives Firas. Not only you make us all proud, we are grateful because you made an amazing contribution to make our world a better place.

I am honoured to be your friend, Firas. Thank you for the wonderful memories in Montreal for several years. I love you so much. The last time you called me in Toronto, I told you so, adding to it “please don’t forget.” I hope you won’t.

I promise that I will always pray for (and be in touch with) your family. My heart goes to your parents and sister, to all your relatives, friends, and loved ones wherever they are, whoever they are.

You will be missed greatly… but most importantly, you will always be remembered! Love prevails and, yes I strongly believe that it can even transcend death. By keeping your memory alive, you will always be alive in our hearts.

Rest and fly in peace, my dear friend.

Rima Azar

Toronto-Canada

Je ne t'oublierai jamais...

Sergitos, tu es parti d’un coup en laissant un vide immense dans ma vie. Tu étais le frère, l’ami, l’explorateur, l’aventurier, qui m’a fait découvrir tellement de choses : le Liban, Fairouz, Zaatar w Zeit, la poutine et les plaisirs simples de la vie. Tu étais l’homme de toutes les contradictions, doux et rebelle, sensible et fonceur, fidèle et nomade. Je garderai à jamais au fond de moi les moments inoubliables qu’on a partagés ensemble, une partie de toi qui brillera dans ma mémoire pour toujours.

J’en veux à la vie, cruelle et belle qui t’a tout donné, qui t’a tout repris, comme ça, pour rien. Pourtant tu l’avais tant aimée la vie, et si bien vécue, comme si tu savais qu’elle te sera un jour arrachée. Elle t’a concédé en maigre consolation le droit de partir vite, comme tu l’aurais souhaité, entouré de tes proches, nimbé d’amour, dans la chaleur de ton appartement de fortune dans un Montréal automnal, avant le grand froid que tu détestais tant.

Je ne t’oublierai jamais. Tu me manques déjà terriblement, tu me manqueras toujours énormément. Bon voyage mon ami. Que les cieux te soient cléments.

Mario Khoury

Montréal-Canada

Soudain tu changes d'adverbe

Je te connais jeune... très jeune. Serge... très Firas. Audacieux... très audacieux. Téméraire... très téméraire. Brillant... très brillant. Universel... très universel. Resplendissant... très resplendissant. Affable... très affable. Soudain tu changes d'adverbe : tu pars vite... trop vite !

Jean-Marc Zéhil

Montréal-Canada