Almost a year has passed since the onset of unprecedented destruction in Gaza, and genocide of the Palestinian people, and now, attention shifts back to Lebanon. The story seems all too familiar, at least for the Lebanese, a recurring nightmare of conflict that traces back through 2006, 2000, 1982, and even 1978. History repeats itself, relentlessly and ruthlessly. Read More...

Alan Watts, a renowned interpreter of Eastern philosophy, often drew from Hindu mythology to explain profound concepts about life and reality. One of his key insights is the idea of Satcitananda, a Sanskrit term that encompasses the essence of existence: Sat (that which is), Cit (consciousness), and Ananda (bliss)…

In “116,” I reflect on the devastating events that began on October 7, 2023, and how they resonate with the themes of mortality and resilience in my book “You’re Already Dead.” Amid personal challenges and global turmoil, I emphasize the importance of living with dignity and hope, and the responsibility to make a positive impact in a world marked by conflict and adversity.

In “You’re Already Dead,” a chapter titled “Perseverance,” which was initially written about grief and being lost with where we perceive our place to be in life, can also be interpreted for the age of social media, where the onslaught of positivity can blur our individual journeys. This chapter, and this post, serve as a reminder that our paths of perseverance and self-improvement are deeply personal…

In the sterile silence of his hospital room in the palliative care ward, I stood beside Bayee, Jim, his presence hanging between this world and the next. He spent the holidays here, and now, approaching mid-January 2011, he lay in a coma. The festive lights and songs of December had faded, but the weight of the holiday season lingered, its shadow extending into the new year as we grappled with the impending loss….

For years, I often said, “When I finish my book…” or “One day when I write a book…” Now, that moment has extended just over 30 days, and it’s been over three months since I first announced the book’s impending release on Instagram. The world has witnessed significant changes during this time…

As I sit down to write this, the heart-wrenching images of the conflict in Gaza, especially the innocent lives lost, weigh heavily on my mind. My recent book, “You’re Already Dead,” alongside the enduring message to “be like Jim,” finds a challenging, almost conflicting place in the face of such overwhelming tragedy…

I wrote, in my debut book, “You’re Already Dead,” about my recollection and experience visiting Lebanon as a seven-year-old in 1992. I hint about my current understanding of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East as a grown man, but in the chapter on community, as I recall my first-ever trip to Lebanon as a seven-year-old, it was one of childhood ignorance…

Finding meaning in day-to-day life, especially when confronted with the harsh realities of the current state of the world, can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Even with the constant barrage of news, opinions, and disturbing videos, it’s important to ground ourselves and our emotions…

Both of my parents left Lebanon in 1976. They were young; my father at the time was only 19. They met here, fell in love, got married, and started a family. But they both were driven to leave Lebanon—my father on his own, and my mother with her parents and siblings—because of the looming threat of the war in Lebanon…