The Lebanese behavior had been a riddle that had puzzled anthropologists, economists and politicians until the day when, out of the blue, someone discovered the reasons behind what his colleagues deemed a peculiar demeanor vacillating between joy and anxiety: a joy resulting from the gains achieved and an anxiety of losing them. After lying deep and sound in slumber, the dormant Lebanese people(s) finally woke up to a new reality: electricity being supplied uninterrupted with very affordable bills, roads being maintained, traffic controlled, parking lots available, public transportation organized, drinkable water provided, contaminated water purified and waste recycled.

It is true that since 1993 over USD 11 billion has been spent on electric power in addition to USD 2 billion on garbage collection, USD 615 million on water purification, and USD 1.8 billion in road rehabilitation, but the money has eventually yielded undisputed fruitful results.

The USD 940 million paid out for rehabilitating and establishing schools and universities and the USD 1 billion granted for teachers and scholarships did not go down the drain after all as the Lebanese University and the public education are upgrading their academic level and scoring epic results. As for the public health care expenses borne by the government, they are being shouldered thanks to real-estate interests and taxes. Accommodation is now affordable for everyone, immigration rates are sliding down and politicians are disclosing their bank accounts to restore credibility with their voters. They even abstained from running “private affairs” while in office, which curbed corruption in public administration and made Lebanon the fiercest rival of Sweden in terms of transparency and efficiency.

Our fellow expatriates are returning home and our green policies have paid off, for the air is fresh, the sea clean and the mountains lush. No more quarries and no more heavy tolls on our rivers, mountains and beloved Mother Nature.

The number of cancer patients and drug addicts is decreasing and even the pubs and nightclubs in Beirut are starting to play “ear friendly” music. The Lebanese have learned to address each other with the utmost respect and everybody’s wearing a big smile and savoring happiness and tranquility. People have finally realized that there’s more to life than smoking “Nargile” or spending a day at the over-crowded ABC mall and instead, most families are now opting for the public parks dispersed throughout the city. Villages are reviving their old glories and looking after their squares, woods and brooklets, and libraries are packed with avid readers eager to quench their insatiable thirst for knowledge. As for the TV channels, they have adopted a new policy preventing the airing of vicious political talk shows or degrading music videos and instead, have committed themselves to broadcast social comedies and tragedies and historical documentaries that stirred the envy of both Al-Jazira and the BBC.

Furthermore, the number of candidates running for elections headed downwards, and many seats fell vacant, for people chose to distance themselves from shouldering big responsibilities. As if Lebanon has become Heaven on earth!

Although these “achievements” delighted the Lebanese, something seemed to disturb their happiness and prevent them from relishing this bliss. Scientists struggled to explore the roots of this anxiety until finally their colleague shouted: “Eureka!” The reasons for anxiety lie in the much-desired remaining wishes the politicians have failed to fulfill. These are:

- Special Tribunal for Lebanon protocol

- Disarmament of Hezbollah

- Settlement of the false witnesses’ file

- Toppling of the Syrian regime

At this moment, the strange enigma was unfolded and people realized the roots of this anxiety and shouted all together: “Now we got it!”

Jawad N. Adra