Someone I recently met described me as a careless person. "You don't give a damn," he kept repeating. I honestly could have cared less about his opinion but his comment made me introspect... Because beyond first impression, I actually care.

I care, but I don't obsess. I care - moderately - only when it is necessary... But I am also an optimist; I believe that things are going to be okay anyway... So why care much?

And even if they don't, I strongly believe that what is meant to be will always find its way. I believe in fate and that there is little I can do to change its course.

Does this mean that we should remain idle and wait for the things to happen? Absolutely not!

In a country like Lebanon, you can't rely on fate for things to change and much less on politics. You'd better rely on yourself or spend your life expecting the apocalypse!

I work in development and I believe in change. Part of my job is to actually find people who like me believe in change and in their ability to drive it... This isn't an easy task... trust me!

The world out there is full of opportunistic, greedy and ungrateful people. People who - despite their dire need for change - disappoint and deceive those who are trying to help them. But do we give up on them? Do we lose faith? Do we quit? No we don’t! We learn. We set smaller goals. We focus on results that will bring us self-gratification and satisfaction.  

I was working late one night when a colleague stepped into my office on his way out and told me: "Go home, Lebanon will be fine"... I still think about his comment every time I feel that the country is going back to square one and the situation is nearing explosion, while people are either too busy living their lives, or too dispirited… In those specific moments, I say to myself: He might be right… caring about a country that doesn’t care for itself is a waste of time and energy… but did I ever stop caring? No I didn’t, I just lowered my expectations and shielded myself against disappointments!