1) Imagine you were born in Lebanon in 1970. On your 5th birthday, a civil war starts, and doesn’t end for 15 years. More than 120,000 people perish in that war. On your 6th birthday, Syrian troops enter the country to restore peace and end up staying for 30 years.

2) On your 8th birthday, Israel launches a major invasion of southern Lebanon. 4 years later, Israel launches a full-scale invasion of Lebanon and stays for 18 years. Thousands killed and about a million displaced. Then US, French and Italian peacekeeping forces arrive in Beirut.

3) You turn 13 and a suicide attack on the US embassy kills 63 people, and another attack shortly after on the HQ of the peacekeepers kills 300 US and French troops. At 18, you realize you have two governments, one country. On your 20th birthday, the Syrian forces attack Lebanon.

4) At 21, the Lebanese army clashes with the Palestine Liberation Org. Hundreds die in that war. On your 26th birthday, Israel bombs Hezbollah all over Lebanon. Hundreds of civilians die and thousands get displaced. At 35, PM Rafic Hariri gets assassinated by a major car bomb.

5) On that same year, assassinations of anti-Syrian figures become a feature of political life in Lebanon. On your 36th birthday, Israel and Hezbollah get into a 34-day war leading to thousands of casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.

6) At 37, clashes begin between Islamist militants and the military. More than 300 people die and 40,000 residents flee. At 38, week-long deadly clashes start between pro-government and opposition armed groups, leading to dozens of casualties.

7) At 42, a Syrian conflict spills over into Lebanon leading to clashes between Sunnis and Alawites in Tripoli and Beirut. On your 43rd birthday, hundreds die in sectarian clashes across the country followed by dozens of civilians killed in bomb attacks at two mosques in Tripoli.

8) Later that year, a double suicide bombing outside Iranian embassy in Beirut kills at least 22 people. At 44, Syrian rebels overrun borders and take 30 soldiers and police captive. That same year, the country goes into a two-year political deadlock, with no president in charge.

9) At 47, suicide bombings return, aggravating already strained relations between Lebanese and Syrian refugees whose number surpassed 1.5 million. The next few years bring several episodes of sectarian clashes and then at your 50th birthday COVID-19 hits.

10) This nation has endured and triumphed over many other episodes that I may have missed. Of course there is much to question and worry about, but we are still here, still looking toward tomorrow. Let’s all stay hopeful. Like a Phoenix, Lebanon shall always rise from its ashes.

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