Prestige issue 272, March 2016
Here comes the month of March as a burst of joy in the air. Spring comes on the 21st with its flowers, scents and wonderful Mother’s Day. Daffodils, broom, poppies, daisies and mimosas garland up the country while the roses, azaleas and cyclamens form singing bouquets to our moms. «Al Dunia Oum» (The World’s Mother) is said in Arabic to the one that gave us life, one whose love is like no other, pure, selfless, eternal. «Hail, mothers full of grace, holy sentinel, courage and kindness, warmth and loving gaze, you only humans in whom we can trust and who never, never betray us, mothers who think of us constantly and even in our sleep, mothers who always forgive, finding us incomparable and unique, making us believe in God.»
Madeleine Chiha-Helou «The mother is celebrated every day»
Marianne and Henri Hélou
Figure of the Lebanese Who’s Who, daughter of Michel Chiha and widow of Pierre Helou, discreet but very present, Madeleine Chiha-Helou believes that mom is almost everything, «She is the beginning and the end». With her sweetness and innate elegance, Madeleine says: «The place of the mother is very important in our family, we celebrate her every day but we do not dedicate a special day for her. We don’t celebrate on March 21st, with an occasional cake or a special outing … » Mother of three children, having eleven grandchildren and four great grandchildren, Madeleine feels overwhelmed by her descendants. «My children are wonderful, they celebrate me every day in their own way, call me, send me flowers, messages of affection. Exquisite my eldest Michele and her husband Nabil Nahas who became my third son, my younger Henry (MP Helou) «a jewel» and my youngest son Philip, always between two planes, that never fails to call me daily where he is in the world … Marianne and Isabelle, my stepdaughters are adorable, they are my other two daughters …»
Joya Moawad-Machnouk «Mother’s day, what a happiness!»
Therese Moawad and her daughter Joya Machnouk.
«I’m lucky to have her as a mother, she is wonderful, so tender, so kind, so genuine» says Joya Machnouk of her mother Thérèse Moawad. Joya adds: «Since I became a mother myself, I felt much closer to her. My mother is my best friend, I entrust her with my secrets, we call her several times a day, we travel and shop together … In addition, she loves my three kids and they love her. Rebecca makes «drawings for téta» and Ryan makes her a gift on Mother’s Day that is a sacred holiday for us. On March 21st and it is the tradition, we go out to lunch together my mother, my cousin (Nathalie Rahmé Abou Fadel) and me; we exchange personal gifts in these moments of pure joy.»«Mother’s Day, what happiness! exclaims in turn Thérèse Moawad who explains: «Motherhood is the heart of the woman, her jewel, the pivot of her existence, and provides continuity and balance of the couple.»
Sibylle Nasrallah Majdalani «A special jewel and words of love»
Sibylle Majdalani and her mother Randa Tabbah Nasrallah
For me, «Mothers Day» is primarily an opportunity for everyone to express to their mother what she is for them, to bring a burst of affection in a gift that could be a simple letter…»says Sibylle Nasrallah who celebrates this special day with her mother, the jewelry designer Randa Tabbah. «On March 21st, we meet all three of us, Randa, my sister Thalie and me to enjoy the happiness of being together», said Sibylle, mother of Sari, little boy of 3 years old, who understands better today, the greatness of motherhood. «More than mother and daughter, we are great friends, accomplices in life … and in creation», says herself a designer, who was valedictorian at the School of Design and Architecture at ALBA several years before working with the architect Bernard Khoury. Today Sibylle created her own jewelry line, in tandem with her mother Randa Tabbah, founder of the jewelry bearing her name in Saifi Village. What will Sibylle offer to her mother on mother’s day? «Words… simply … provided they are real, felt and hopefully shared!». In her collection «Somewhere in Beirut», Randa Tabbah immortalized with Sibylle magical places and moments of their emotional memory.
Jana Thoumi, «Well-being and security»
Jana Thoumi.
«Motherhood, what a grace from heaven!» says Jana Thoumi young bachelor, master in Molecular Biology of the LAU, professor of biology at Broummana High School. «For me, Mother’s Day is symbolic because I like to celebrate it every day, the little gestures of everyday life towards my mother prove it, I do not need a special day to show her my affection, my love. Still, I offer her a gift on March 21st, it is often a beauty product or an association card for a special Mother’s Day lunch.» And Jana added: «Motherhood is a wonderful gift, which provides welfare and mutual security. We are very close, my mother (Jessy Thoumi) and me, she is my greatest friend, I listen to her advice and when I accidentally do not follow them, I feel a sense of guilt…»
Nathalie Issa el Khoury- Bitar «Joy and nostalgia of infinite love»
Nathalie Bitar and her daughters.
With a lawyer background, with a good administrative job, wife of Dr. Elias Bitar, Nathalie Issa el Khoury-Bitar is the mother of two adorable twins: Céline and Joelle who are seven years old. For her, Mother’s Day is «the day of giving, of endless love, continuity.» How does she feel about this day? «Joy and nostalgia are intertwined, having lost my mother two weeks before the birth of my daughters. Today, I see her in my daughters who celebrate with me by offering hearts, crafts and … an expensive gift (jewel) bought by their father Elias.»
«One masquerade in the name of ingratitude»
Another story for Françoise F. who wishes to remain anonymous and who believes that «Mother’s Day is a commercial charade.»«To be like everyone else, she says, I offer on mother’s day a gift to my mother who really does not deserve it. She has always been selfish, greedy, bossy, devious and treacherous to me. She never gave me anything, not even affection. She does not know what is motherhood, filial love… Considering maybe I’m not in need, she was even up to disinherit me totally in favor of my pledged brother, while I have much given to her and continue to give stupidly, providing various services and beautiful house to her alone without rent for many years … in the name of Christian morality and God’s commandment «You will honor your father and your mother…»
