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| باحث ومحاضر أسترالي من اصل لبناني فاز بجائزة شربل بعيني |
Dear Charbel
Thank you for inviting me to join you last Saturday 7 November at the speech night to honour you and your work. I felt very special to have been considered your friend and a member of your fraternity.
As I had prefaced with my telephone call earlier that evening, I had another engagement to attend later that night, but nonetheless I was glad to have witnessed a most remarkable evening. Not only was there that air of grandeur and ceremony, and not only was the turn-out most impressive, but there was a unique spiritual presence. By spiritual, I am referring to 'inner life'- an all-encompassing moment when I felt very proud of you; very proud of the Lebanese community; reassured by the Lebanese culture (which I must say has been bone-dry around my quarters); and very excited about a realisation which lead me to write to you.
The realisation I refer to is the one that stems from the social blindness to moments of supreme refinement, and to the blindness to people of exceptional presence whose contribution to this world (no matter what shape it takes) is usually only appreciated in ages thereafter(if at all).
Many would look back and wish for a glimpse at some of the world's greats. For some, a moment with Khalil Gibran would be sublime, while for others, to greet Einstein, Monet, Picasso, or Michelangelo would depict a panicle in their lifetime. It seems that long-gone heroes revered to the point where people fail to realise that such talent surrounds us in our lifetime. That talent I am referring to is that of Charbel Baini.
The celebration that we all witnessed last Saturday was, for me, a celebration of life, of the spirit, and of the soul. It was a building block of the tower of victory, hope, and love.
I trust that you do understand the feelings that I am trying to express to you, and I hope that you will accept them from me - an observer who daily ponders about the meaning of life in a defective world whose warranty seems to have expired.
With sincere appreciation.
Jonar C. Nader
11 November 1992
