Fresh Perspective

 Less than 2 miles from my home they live.  Three refugee ladies. They have begun to share stories with me of a lovely home and land in the country.  Of carefree days and university opportunities and study abroad experiences.  A thriving business. One remembers their place of worship being sealed shut many years ago.  Despite such opposition she remained faithful to what she believed and taught her children, who are now scattered around the globe.  Then things became so bad that they had to flee.  We press into a friendship that is meaningful, with joy and tears (and kisses, pre CV-19). Pre-Corona Virus I was enjoying my time visiting in their tiny one room garage shop home.  Two mattresses are on either side of the room with the walking space of one other twin mattress that lies on the floor during the night.  A tiny makeshift bathroom sits in one corner.  A high small window of sorts is on another wall.  A makeshift kitchen is o...

 I am curious how COVID-19 restrictions are affecting you?  For Lebanon, the nation has fared well, and I dare say it was because of the army enforced restrictions.  Those continue to be place but we are in phase 2, of a 5-step reversal, of lock down.  Now we can drive on Sundays (instead of just Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday).  Also, the barbers are open the first half of the week and the hairdressers on the second half of the week. Restaurants are open to 30% capacity, with no shisha smoking allowed.  (Shisha is a intracule part of the social culture here and involves passing around a fascinating long pipe that is attached to a long cylinder that burns coals, nicotine and more.  Some research reveals that one session of this type of smoking is equivalent to thirty cigarettes). It is nice to feel the rigid restrictions lift, just a little. (Picture retrieved from: https://foxnomad.com/2011/09/15/whats-in-that-pipe-and-whos-smoking-it-an-introductio...