Daily Bread for Your Mind and Soul: A Handbook of Transcultural Proverbs and Sayings

By Fayek S. Hourani

Dedication
I begin by dedicating this book to Karim, my beloved son and soul mate.
Karim, I leave this simple but hopefully powerful book in your hands as a daily loaf of philosophical bread, in your heart as a hope booster, and in your soul as a message of faith that might lift you up.
Our Lord has said, Not by bread alone we live, but . . .
I also dedicate this book to my wife, Hala, for whom I feel a great sense of gratitude, given her unlimited patience, understanding, and encouragements through many long days and nights.
Finally, this work is dedicated to my cousin, Amal Hourani, a real brother and true friend. He is always there for me in his humble and quiet way. In my heart, I carry a profound sense of love and admiration for him.
I love you all forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781479711185

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Copyright © 2012 by Fayek S. Hourani.

Library of Congress Control Number:  2012916237

ISBN:

Hardcover  978-1-4797-1117-8

Softcover   978-1-4797-1116-1

Ebook        978-1-4797-1118-5

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Contents

Acknowledgment

Words of Wisdom to My Son

Personal Anecdote

A Word to the Reader

The Hand of God: Four Episodes

What Is a Proverb?

Proverbs from the Holy Bible

Proverbs from Around the World

Sayings of Great Minds

Index and Biography

References

Dedication

I begin by dedicating this book to Karim, my beloved son and soul mate.

Karim, I leave this simple but hopefully powerful book in your hands as a daily loaf of philosophical bread, in your heart as a hope booster, and in your soul as a message of faith that might lift you up.

Our Lord has said, Not by bread alone we live, but…

I also dedicate this book to my wife, Hala, for whom I feel a great sense of gratitude, given her unlimited patience, understanding, and encouragements through many long days and nights.

Finally, this work is dedicated to my cousin, Amal Hourani, a real brother and true friend. He is always there for me in his humble and quiet way. In my heart, I carry a profound sense of love and admiration for him.

I love you all forever.

Acknowledgment

I wish to extend my gratitude and thanks to a dear neighbor and a longtime friend, Mrs. Sarah Kadec, for her sincere encouragement, wise guidance, and prudent advice, all of which helped me persevere in working on this project until its completion.

A very big word of appreciation and thanks goes to a real friend, Mr. Rayyan Al-Shawaf, a book critic who helped me tremendously in editing my personal anecdotes.

Last but not least, I wish to thank all the copyright holders and apologize to any who have been inadvertently overlooked. I promise to make any necessary additions at the very first opportunity.

Words of Wisdom to My Son

Karim dearest,

Beware thyself, for it can be your biggest and worst enemy—an untamed beast. Try to work on yourself, love yourself, so that you may love others. Do not be selfish and ignore the needs of others, especially those around you. Never be hasty in your decisions, for most, if not all, of the time hasty decisions turn out to be costly. Always look before you leap. Be considerate and maintain a low profile. Be proud of yourself, but avoid the vice of vanity. Be fair and never become biased or unfairly take sides. Be a good listener and not a talker. Less talk, fewer errors. Be humble and polite with people of all walks of life. Forgive, but do not forget. Live the moment, and enjoy every bit of it, but live it in dignity and respect for yourself. Do not lose yourself in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life. Respect yourself so that others will respect you. Give sincerely, but never ask for anything or any favor from anybody because it will stay with you as a heavy burden until the last day of your life. Accept yourself as you are, but keep working on improving yourself, for a wise man is one of continuous learning and adaptation. Only fools and ignorant people do not change or accept change as a fact of natural growth.

Choose your friends and future wife very carefully, for they will influence the course of your life. This is a major responsibility; your decisions will shape your destiny for years to come. Please exercise caution and wisdom in your choices. Choose people like you, who share the same vision, aspirations, mentality, and way of life. No matter how long or short your life, do not mar it with tragic mistakes that keep your days full of unresolved problems, for they will hound you until the end. Last but not least, accept people as they are and keep your distance when necessary, as too much closeness cuts you off from fresh air and may suffocate you. Wherever you go visiting, my son, do not ever be like a thick blanket on others. Remember the proverb that says, Fish and guests smell after three days. When you depart, do not leave trash behind but unforgettable memories sweetened by a good smell. After all, you never know if you might have to go back to the same old places for one reason or another. Life is unpredictable, so please work hard on shaping your personality to endure the harsh times and never succumb to any difficulty. Be prepared to live on a piece of bread eaten with dignity, honor, and self-respect, which is better than eating the best food at the tables of your masters. Make yourself one Master, God. Have faith in Him and in yourself wherever you are and whoever you become.

Personal Anecdote

I was born and raised in my beloved and tranquil town of Jdeidet Marjeyoun, located in southern Lebanon. During those days, nature was still virginal with very little pollution. Most of the roads were of mud and used by villagers only for carrying goods or horseback riding.

The town is surrounded and embraced by the White Mountain (Hermon), complemented by the green and flowery meadows (Al Marj), endless springs (Ayoun), pine forests (Al Hirsh), and olive groves and vineyards (Kroum El Zaytoun Wa-Al Enab). I have always deeply loved my hometown, characterized as it is by breathtaking scenery, humble citizens, both young and old, as well as my family, friends, and classmates. Growing up, our lives were simple and loving; we cared for and helped one another in every way and without hesitation. The entire town shared all special occasions, including holidays and birthdays in times of joy, and funerals in times of sorrow. The games we played as children were original, simple, and creative. We would make the toys ourselves with the help of our mothers and elders.

I still vividly remember the harsh winter seasons, with lots of rain, snow, and frost. However, despite the chilly temperatures, we would find comfort in the emotional warmth of my aunt Rosa. She would visit us often, carrying a gasoline lamp to light her way. At our house, she would regale us with stories about her virtuous heroes from our Lebanese and Arab heritage. Her tales were full of wisdom, honor, love, sacrifice, faith, and brutal honesty, and they affected us deeply.

Aunt Rosa would also make us traditional sweet dishes, mixing sesame seeds with molasses on the hearth. The wood stove (Wjaq), utilizing wood logs from the community, was the primary means for cooking, as well as warming up the house, during the cold winter days and nights. The room in which the stove was kept would become the most important part of the house during winter and the host of all indoor family activities. We would leave it only when we went to sleep in the bedrooms, snuggling under blankets with heating pads made out of a wine bottles filled with hot water.

That difficult but enchanting place is where I learned to love, admire, and treasure the human heritage. I always looked back at the virtues of our fathers and ancestors, who honored their words and promises without a written contract or the help of a lawyer who wrote thousands of words to bind someone to his promise. Moreover, when you are surrounded by vast, natural, and beautiful space, you cannot but take advantage of it and practice your hobbies, which then become your habits and subsequently form your lifestyle. In the clean, fresh air and the fantastic, glorious beauty, we lived a good life. We followed a healthy and simple organic Mediterranean diet, which today has become a luxury. It was part of daily life to walk long distances, rain or shine, and sometimes even on muddy roads through the pine forests, vineyards, and olive groves. We climbed the mountains and the rolling hills; we crossed the green colorful meadows and played football (soccer), even when barefoot. Our sports coach at school taught us that a sound mind lives inside a sound body, and we never failed to heed this advice. Even today, I walk and perform various physical exercises and meditate regularly. These activities keep me fit and alert; they keep me whole (body, mind, and soul). Ultimately, there is no age beyond learning because we learn a new thing every moment of our lives, from the cradle to the grave.

Today, at seventy-plus years of age, I have decided to put a few of my recollections in writing. However, it is not just my words and experiences that I want you to read. Indeed, this is where the proverbs come in. I have sat at my computer for hours on end compiling, sifting through, and arranging precious and everlasting words of sincere advice to my beloved son, to his generation, and to you, no matter how old you are and regardless of where you live. I genuinely hope that we can all live up to the morals, ideals, and responsibilities we carry through our long journey so that we may live happier. I have chosen to call this work Daily Bread for Your Mind, and Soul. I recommend that it be consumed three times a day as a spiritual reinforcement with each meal. It will give you mental and spiritual balance, self-esteem, and peace.

My life journey, which consists of almost three quarters of a century, has had its share of difficulties and rewards. I have never succumbed to the pressures I have faced, however harsh. I have always carried God in my heart and never lost hope in His mercy or the goodness of the very loving people around me. My hope is for you, the reader, to take lessons from both my personal journey and the inspirational and uplifting quotes provided in this book. I also wish that this journey would be able to change your entire way of living and thinking for a better, wiser, happier, and more peaceful life.

May God bless you and touch your souls.

A Word to the Reader

Dear Reader,

Thank you for allowing me to share some of my thoughts, as well as the proverbs and sayings of many men and women from different places and eras, with you. I hope that I will be a sincere and honest companion as you read this book, giving you both enjoyment and peace of mind. My purpose in writing this work is to convey a universal message that touches your soul, irrespective of your race, religion, or socioeconomic status. Indeed, my decision to gather together proverbs and sayings from a variety of cultures, countries, and authors is meant to demonstrate that life has different faces. The sense of sharing, and the pleasure of working together, helps us to live in peace and prosperity. Let us respect each other, love each other, and put hate to rest forevermore.

In this book, I also delve into my own experiences so as to make the point that although God has set the road of life for us, He has left us space to make choices.

Remember that no matter how much power you have and how much knowledge you possess, there is someone more powerful and more knowledgeable than you are. God’s hand is always extended to us, but in order to grasp it, we must first open our hearts to Him . . .

Let God live in you and me…

The Hand of God: Four Episodes

Episode 1

One summer afternoon in my youth, I was playing outside the house with my cousin Amal and a few friends. My father came out and asked us to go to the vineyards and bring back a basket of grapes. We could hardly believe that he wanted us to perform such a difficult errand. We would have to ride bicycles on a road that was mostly used by cars. Still, we agreed and went to the local bicycle shop, where we rented two brand-new bicycles. Two or three minutes later, as we were turning a corner on a newly asphalted road, I slipped and fell, banging the left side of my head on the ground. I immediately lost consciousness. I was later informed that I remained in coma for forty-eight hours. My family also said that when they asked me the name of my aunt, I gave them the wrong name. This made my father go crazy, blaming himself for letting me ride the bicycle. However, pretty soon, I was all right and back on my feet again. My experience is vivid proof that one will not go if one’s time has not come yet. The hand of God was always there for me. May God have mercy upon our souls and lead us to His light.

One year later, my father had a severe heart attack and passed away in front of me. I was not yet fourteen years old. My father was fifty-four. I realized that the life my father had led was not rosy but full of thorns and hard work. I decided, then and there, to take a different course of life by continuing my education no matter what, and I did.

I am writing these lines at the age of seventy-two, but I am reliving these experiences moment by moment as if they happened to me just yesterday. How much I sensed the glow in the eyes of my father and his tender smile for seeing me happy! I sometimes wonder if people die and vanish or are transformed into a more beautiful and perfect state. Whatever the answer is, I do know that we stay in contact with them and that they are present the moment we think of them. We talk to them without talking as though they had never departed. They are there for us, guarding us and looking after us.

Episode 2

Right before what came to be called the Lebanese civil war, I was given the opportunity to move to Saudi Arabia to work. In the mid-seventies, Saudi Arabia launched major construction and development projects all over the country. People were needed to fill all kinds of positions, and materials were imported from all over the world.

I formed a multinational team to erect the first steel building in the Middle East. It was built for the late sheikh Said El-Ghodran on a hill overlooking Dhahran Aramco senior staff city. I initially lived in a very humble old apartment in Dammam, the capital of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. In those days, roads were narrow with sand on either side. When the wind blew, you could barely see your car fender, with visibility sometimes reaching zero. Your car’s brakes might stop functioning properly and that could easily lead to an accident. Two months after my arrival, I bought a new car for personal transportation. One evening I was invited to a friend’s house. As I was driving on the road to his home, with visibility nearly nil, I saw a bright light coming from afar. I started flashing my lights to try to convince the driver to lower his head beam lights but with no success. All of a sudden, I heard a tremendous blow hitting the front right side of the car. The car careened wildly for more than twenty yards and then settled in a ditch, with me still sitting in the driver’s seat. I was in a trance for some time, I do not know for how long. Soon, people were stopping their cars to see if anybody had survived the major accident, and I regained some awareness of my surroundings.

Eventually, I got out of the car. Though still dazed, I had the presence of mind to ask about my document case, which contained my passport and some important papers. We found the case about thirty yards from the car and the car’s front right tire some forty yards away. Of course, I did not go to the dinner party because I ended up in the hospital. More importantly, God’s hand was there for me to save me from this terrible but unavoidable accident, and here I am still in the hands of God, leading a normal and happy life.

Episode 3

Lebanon slowly began to return to normal after the end of the civil war in 1990. At the time, I was living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and had just started a new company dealing with kitchen cabinets and solid surface countertops. In 1995, I decided to return to Lebanon and continue doing what I was doing in the UAE but in Beirut. I started my own solid surfacing company and named the product PROMISE® Solid Surfacing because I wanted to promise our clients to give them the best material on the market and the most efficient service.

One Friday night, in 2003, my wife and I were celebrating the birthday of a friend, dancing and singing, when I suddenly felt hot and sweaty, even though the atmosphere was cool and pleasant. I excused myself and went to the restroom to wash my hands and face with cold water, hoping to cool down and feel better so that we would not spoil the lovely and happy occasion. When I came out, my wife noticed the state I was in and wanted to take me directly to the hospital, but I refused and drove myself back home. The second and third day I rested at home. Monday, we had an appointment with my cardiologist. After checking me thoroughly, he sent me to the hospital to have more blood and other tests. The doctor in the hospital ordered that I stay overnight so that my cardiologist could perform an angiogram the next day and determine whether I had any vein or artery blockage.

The next day I was set for the angiogram and was taken to the room where they perform such procedures. However, in the middle of the test, I felt dizzy and told the doctor that I was going to faint. He realized immediately that there was something wrong with me and rushed out of the room to speak with my wife and my cousin, who was the chief of the radiology department. A few minutes later, the surgeon came in and informed me that they were going to operate on me because they had found out that two of my main arteries were 99 percent blocked and could not wait any longer. Luckily, I did not feel anything because I am diabetic. The doctor told me that I might have had several minor strokes without me feeling them because diabetic people sometimes do not feel strokes. As they were taking me to the operating room, all members of my family were standing in line to bid me good-bye, but I looked at them, smiled, and told them, I’ll be back, I know it. Do not worry. The operation was one hundred percent successful, thank God.

The hand of God was always there for me because my time has not come yet, and that is how I am here relating this episode to you.

Final Episode

Man, the creation of God, the sons of God, the image of God on earth. God Almighty has created everything on earth for you, to please you, and make you happy, and yet nothing satisfies you or fills your eyes. You are the most ungrateful of all creatures, you take everything for granted until you are faced with a problem that awakens you from your slumber. You look, but you do not see. You hear, but you do not listen. Have you ever stopped for a moment, thought, and appreciated what God has given you?

On a summer day six months after my heart surgery, I went down to Beirut to collect our airline tickets from the agent’s office and then passed by the bank to get some cash for the road. At noon, I passed by the office, had lunch with my colleagues, signed a few checks and papers, and finally drove back to the village of Beit