WMF sees the sea for the first time, the Corniche in Beirut. June 2019
I can't even imagine not having seen the sea until my mid-20s, but that was the case with WMF. We were on a hastily planned trip to Beirut and trying to cram in as much as possible before he headed back to Iraq and I continued on to Dubai. Unfortunately, earlier in the day he had caught up with an uncle who had been stuck in limbo in Lebanon for years trying to get to Australia as a refugee (he finally did make it with his family). The meeting for WMF, rather than being joyous, was more sobering. Lebanon was expensive and living on its margins, his uncle's family keenly felt the pain of each passing day. Most likely, there was some degree of resentment that a nephew on holiday was passing through and saying "hi" while the uncle was only surviving, barely able to make ends meet, based on a "hope" of a new life Down Under. In short, the family reunion was not a happy one.
I met WMF after his family time and he was clearly not in a good place emotionally. I suggested we walk down to the Corniche (which I had visited while he was gone) to cheer him up since Beirut's famous seaside esplanade really was one of its most redeeming (and famous) features. We passed by a few seafood restaurants and came out suddenly on an unobstructed view of the Mediterranean. WMF just stopped and stared. That was his first glimpse of the sea. He was blessed to see it in such a lovely location. Silent, he stared. I think his was the basic human reaction to seeing the sea for the first time - awe. No matter how many photos one may have seen, nothing compares to that great watery horizon that covers most of the planet.
We walked down on the rocks below the concrete path and drank in Beirut's lovely location. The Corniche was nothing like any other place in the Middle East. Women in revealing western dress were walking beside others covered from head to toe in black, billowing robes. Guys were doing fitness. Families were taking late afternoon strolls. In a way, even though Lebanon was something of a failed state, its Corniche was not. Beirut's Corniche showed, like the beach at the Dead Sea [see: Dead Sea], that everyone COULD actually get along in the region. For me, it was a place that gave some hope. Most importantly, WMF's mood improved.
It was a special moment to share with someone - seeing the sea for the first time. I am happy I was with my friend for that. Some of the best moments in life are the most understated.
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