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A VISUAL MEDITATION - A Rope of Hope - Kahlil Gibran Collective Inc.

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Chandler&nbsp;</strong></span><span class="deJ7P"><strong>(reposted from <a href="http://www.paulgchandler.com)">www.paulgchandler.com)</a></strong></span>&nbsp; <div data-breakout="normal"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;">I have been struck by the number of individuals that I have recently met who find themselves despairing, and experiencing a sense of hopelessness. It reminded me of a multi-platform marketing campaign I initiated in a previous role that I held. It was in a Western part of the US that had one of the highest rates of those who die by suicide. To capture people’s imaginations and with the intent to be of encouragement, using billboards on highways and via different social media platforms, the campaign slogan was simply “Rope Hope,” with an accompanying image of a cowboy roping a steer.</span></div> <div data-breakout="normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="/component/jce/?view=popup&amp;tmpl=component" onclick="window.open(this.href+'&img=images/Rope_of_Hope_/Ferdinand_Bol_Angel_Appearing_to_Elijah_1642_Oil_on_canvas.jpg&title=','','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,location=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,left=0,top=0');return false;"></a><a href="/component/jce/?view=popup&amp;tmpl=component" onclick="window.open(this.href+'&img=images/Rope_of_Hope_/Ferdinand_Bol_Angel_Appearing_to_Elijah_1642_Oil_on_canvas.jpg&title=','','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,location=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,left=0,top=0');return false;"><img src="/images/Rope_of_Hope_/Ferdinand_Bol_Angel_Appearing_to_Elijah_1642_Oil_on_canvas.jpg" alt="Ferdinand Bol Angel Appearing to Elijah 1642 Oil on canvas" style="display: block; margin: 15px auto;" /></a></span> <div data-breakout="normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;I have been reminded anew of one of history’s most colorful characters, the legendary and almost mythical figure of Elijah, the 9th&nbsp;century BCE seer, who was a contemporary of the Greek poet Homer, the author of the <em>Iliad</em> and <em>Odyssey</em>. Officially known as Elijah the Tishbite, or to my Muslim friends as Ilyas, just his name conjures up dramatic images for those who know his life story. He has certainly captured the imaginations of artists down through the centuries. Celebrated artists such as the 17th century artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn and the 19th century Belarusian-French artist Marc Chagall, found themselves returning numerous times to Elijah as the subject of their artwork.&nbsp;</span></div> <div data-breakout="normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="/component/jce/?view=popup&amp;tmpl=component" onclick="window.open(this.href+'&img=images/Rope_of_Hope_/Marc_Chagall_Elijah_Touched_by_an_Angel_1930_Handcolored_Etching.jpg&title=','','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,location=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,left=0,top=0');return false;"><img src="/images/Rope_of_Hope_/Marc_Chagall_Elijah_Touched_by_an_Angel_1930_Handcolored_Etching.jpg" alt="Marc Chagall Elijah Touched by an Angel 1930 Handcolored Etching" style="display: block; margin: 15px auto;" width="776" height="772" /></a></span> <div data-breakout="normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, the artist that I believe captures Elijah’s sense of hopelessness and emotional exhaustion most poignantly is the 17th&nbsp;century Dutch artist Ferdinand Bol, who studied for years under Rembrandt. He mastered Rembrandt’s technique so well that a number of his paintings would be falsely attributed to Rembrandt during the 19th&nbsp;century. Both Ferdinand Bol’s oil painting titled <em>Angel Appearing to Elijah</em>&nbsp;and his pen and ink drawing titled <em>Elijah Resting under a Tree</em>&nbsp;movingly depict the profound despair the great Elijah experienced. Ferdinand Bol himself was able to identify with Elijah’s suffering, having gone through his own dark night of the soul, when his wife died while giving birth to their son.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="/component/jce/?view=popup&amp;tmpl=component" onclick="window.open(this.href+'&img=images/Rope_of_Hope_/Ferdinand_Bol_Angel_Appearing_to_Elijah_1642_Oil_on_canvas.jpg&title=','','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,location=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,left=0,top=0');return false;"><img src="/images/Rope_of_Hope_/Ferdinand_Bol_Angel_Appearing_to_Elijah_1642_Oil_on_canvas.jpg" alt="Ferdinand Bol Angel Appearing to Elijah 1642 Oil on canvas" style="display: block; margin: 15px auto;" /></a></span> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div> <div data-breakout="normal"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;">In both the painting and drawing, we see Elijah lying collapsed on the ground, looking like he is at his end of his rope, as if he is almost dead. Ferdinand Bol is able to vividly convey the distress Elijah is experiencing. In these works one truly has a sense that Elijah could not go on any longer.</span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block18" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div data-breakout="normal"> <div class="ZuC5J faq2B WNdr- YZYFQ" dir="auto" id="viewer-iv5jv1680" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="deJ7P"></span><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u">The dramatic historical story, that sets the stage for these works by Ferdinand Bol, is one in which Elijah is literally running for his life. He has publicly disagreed with both his king and his Lebanese wife, Queen Jezebel. In sharing his displeasure of their actions, Elijah foretells a devastating drought upon their land. Seeing his words as a confrontational threat, Elijah is forced to run for his life, fleeing into the desert, where he is taken care of by Bedouins. Strengthened, he returns and challenges his religious opponents to a contest high up on a mountain, which he miraculously wins. Furious at Elijah’s victory, Queen Jezebel swears she will have Elijah assassinated. So, Elijah flees again for his life, running toward Mt. Sinai in the desert, where he would seek divine protection.</span></span></div> </div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block20"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="/component/jce/?view=popup&amp;tmpl=component" onclick="window.open(this.href+'&img=images/Rope_of_Hope_/Ferdinand_Bol_Elijah_Resting_under_a_Tree_ca._1642_pen_and_brown_ink.jpg&title=','','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,location=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,left=0,top=0');return false;"><img src="/images/Rope_of_Hope_/Ferdinand_Bol_Elijah_Resting_under_a_Tree_ca._1642_pen_and_brown_ink.jpg" width="776" height="593" alt="Ferdinand Bol Elijah Resting under a Tree ca. 1642 pen and brown ink" style="display: block; margin: 15px auto;" /></a></span> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While on that desert journey, he collapses under a little tree, completely exhausted - emotionally, spiritually and physically. In the story, he gets temporary help from an angel who gives him bread and water. Many scholars interpret this “angel” to have been a Bedouin passing through, as the Sinai Desert is where they live. The food provides just enough strength for Elijah to continue on his journey to Mt. Sinai, where he shelters in a cave. Some archeologists feel they have identified the cave, and one can even climb up to it today.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="/component/jce/?view=popup&amp;tmpl=component" onclick="window.open(this.href+'&img=images/Rope_of_Hope_/What_some_scholars_believe_to_be_Elijahs_Cave_on_Mt._Sinai_in_Egypts_Sinai_Desert.jpg&title=','','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,location=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,left=0,top=0');return false;"><img src="/images/Rope_of_Hope_/What_some_scholars_believe_to_be_Elijahs_Cave_on_Mt._Sinai_in_Egypts_Sinai_Desert.jpg" width="776" height="582" alt="What some scholars believe to be Elijahs Cave on Mt. Sinai in Egypts Sinai Desert" style="display: block; margin: 15px auto;" /></a></span> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div> <div data-breakout="normal"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;">Ferdinand Bol’s painting captures the complexity of the struggles facing Elijah. The way he has Elijah holding his head on his hand, as if there appears to be no possible hope, leads one to think that not only is he running from Queen Jezebel, but perhaps also running from himself. We are told he went into a cave to hide. In today’s psychology, we would say he entered into a state of depression. For figuratively, a cave is a depression in rock that gives apparent security and protection.</span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block29" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div data-breakout="normal" style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="ZuC5J faq2B YCZ-u YZYFQ" dir="auto" id="viewer-3go0s6181"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u"></span><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u">I grew up in Senegal, West Africa, where the magnificent Baobab tree is located, considered one of the world’s largest trees. Their tree trunks are sometimes so wide, that one could drive two cars through them side by side. A Baobab tree’s thick trunk and branches are in effect hollow, and they are able to store an enormous amount of water, often making the tree consist of 76% water. High up in the trees there are openings in the huge branches, that look like caves, hollowed out spaces. Throughout West African history, those traveling through the dry Sahel region might temporarily find shelter for the night in those spaces, often 50-75 feet off the ground – away from snakes and other predators. These large open spaces often catch rainwater as well, and hence the Baobab tree can offer drinking water to travelers.&nbsp;The Baobab tree also produces a fruit known as “bouye” in Wolof, the local language, often colloquially referred to as “monkey bread.” So, when finding shelter up in these trees, this “monkey bread” provides needed energy for travelers as they rest on their journeys. However, when sleeping high up one of these “tree caves,” travelers would tie thick multi-strand ropes to themselves, a rope with large knots tied every three feet or so. If they somehow fell out of the tree cave while sleeping, those large knots would get caught on a branch, and save their lives. That specially tied rope was known as the “rope of hope” or a “hope rope,” such a fitting name for it.</span></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><img src="/images/Rope_of_Hope_/Baobab_Tree_by_Senegalese_sand_artist_TINE_-_sand_with_Baobab_tree_glue_on_wood_panel.jpg" width="776" height="957" alt="Baobab Tree by Senegalese sand artist TINE sand with Baobab tree glue on wood panel" style="display: block; margin: 15px auto;" /></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div> <div data-breakout="normal"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;">There are several strands that run through Elijah’s dramatic life that formed what might be called a “rope of hope” for him. One apparent strand is that due to the dire strait situations he found himself in, he ended up being someone who needed to travel. Hence, he was a journeyer. He found himself having to journey east, then north, and eventually southwest some 300 miles on foot. His story takes him in a fairly short period of time from his home to the countries of what are today known as Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. Both of Ferdinand Bol’s artistic depictions of Elijah are in Egypt’s vast Sinai Desert. However, not only does Elijah journey geographically, the story of his life is one of him journeying spiritually as well. Each difficult life experience leads him toward seeing more and more of the Divine Artist’s care and compassion for him. Like Elijah, each of us are on different spiritual journeys, where we all have had different paths to take and tales to tell as a result. I love that line in one of the late 19th century Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh’s early reflections, before his decision to become a full-time artist.&nbsp; He wrote, “We are [all] pilgrims - our life is a long walk or journey from earth to Heaven.”</span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block35"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Another strand running through Elijah’s life is hardship; his journeys are full of seemingly insurmountable challenges. As a result of the honest glimpse of his life that we are given, he is not put up on a mythical high pedestal. In Ferdinand Bol’s painting and drawing, we are invited to enter into Elijah’s emotional state of mind. We see him tremendously vulnerable, while at a very low ebb. He is lying down under a tree, while on the run, out in the middle of nowhere. He is deeply afraid, lonely, fatigued, and depressed. In the story, his internal anguish is so great and his despair so profound, that he even cries out to his Creator to take his life. At his lowest point, feeling emotional collapse, the pain no longer seems bearable. It is his sense of desperation that gives him the energy to walk several hundred miles on foot to Mt. Sinai, where he hopes to find divine help.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block37"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Elijah’s experience is a reminder of life’s unexpected suffering and challenges. In the midst of our life journeys, we are all guaranteed that life will present many hardships. Our life journeys will take us all through some desolate “wilderness-like” experiences. As the old African American song goes, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen.” And of course, no one really knows the trouble any of us have seen, or will see. Like Elijah, each and every one of us will experience in life what will seem like an emotional or spiritual desert.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block39"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, Elijah at the same time becomes for us a reminder of divine comfort, as this is another strand that runs throughout his life. As Ferdinand Bol depicts in his painting, while Elijah is in a state of despair, an “angel” comes to comfort him, bringing him bread and water. I love how Ferdinand Bol visually portrays Elijah with his eyes closed, and not yet even aware of the angel’s presence. Elijah was clearly not expecting it. In fact, even when it was right in front of him, he wasn’t attentive as to how the help he cried out for was being presented to him.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block41"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The story tells us that he was given a cake of bread baked on hot stones. Bread is frequently used in ancient literature as a metaphor for the very sustenance of life. So, Elijah’s story is in effect an invitation to experience the security and safety of being dependent on the Divine Artist, our beautiful Creator. Throughout the story of Elijah’s life journey, we see him over and over again being provided food, water, protection, shelter, comfort and encouragement. His life is essentially a story of learning that dependence on his Creator was where his real protection and help was to be found.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block43"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hence, the primary strand running throughout Elijah’s life is his decision to live in a continual state of dependency on his Creator, regardless of the despair he experienced. For as the angel says in the story to Elijah, “Otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” This sense of dependence is really the essence of our relationship with our Creator. It is the idea of relying on the Divine Artist for our well-being, regardless of our state of being.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block45"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am reminded of the English author J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent fantasy novels in his <em>The Lord of the Rings</em>&nbsp;trilogy, in which the narrative is all about journeying. The story tells of a bread called Lembas, that was used for long journeys by elves. Lembas, which literally meant “Waybread" or “journey bread,” was a delicious honey-flavor bread that has amazing powers to both sustain travelers and even bring healing to the wounded or the sick. Just one little piece can sustain someone the whole day. I love his description of this life-giving bread. Tolkien writes, “And yet this waybread [Lembas] of elves had a potency that increased as travelers relied on it alone and did not mingle it with other foods.” <em>(The Return of the King)</em></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block47"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The story of Elijah reminds us that our Creator is at core about giving life, over and over again. As my Arab friends love to remind me, “God is closer to us than our jugular vein.” In the midst of Elijah’s profound discouragement, while in his weakest state emotionally and spiritually, he experienced afresh a beautiful display of his Creator’s tenderness, compassion and love.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block49"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Elijah’s life ends on a hopeful note. After all he had gone through, he ends up carrying out the most important role of his life. Which is why to this day, the Abrahamic traditions see Elijah as representing the divine hope that we are all promised on life’s journey, even when we feel we have had enough and cannot go on.</span></div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div> <div class="nLG8d5 F_3u4N" data-hook="post-description"> <article class="blog-post-page-font"> <div class="post-content__body stSKMK"> <div class="moHCnT"> <div class="moHCnT"> <div class="fTEXDR" data-rce-version="10.88.2"> <div class="S8Rqn" dir="ltr" data-id="content-viewer"> <div class="-Priw"> <div class="lNNHQ"> <div data-breakout="normal"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="/component/jce/?view=popup&amp;tmpl=component" onclick="window.open(this.href+'&img=images/Rope_of_Hope_/-Kahlil_Gibran_Self-portrait.jpeg&title=','','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,location=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,left=0,top=0');return false;"><img src="/images/Rope_of_Hope_/-Kahlil_Gibran_Self-portrait.jpeg" width="350" height="350" alt=" Kahlil Gibran Self portrait" style="margin: 15px; float: left;" /></a>This life-giving story about Elijah portrayed so powerfully by Ferdinand Bol<em>&nbsp;</em>reminds me of a short story by another artist, Lebanese born poet-artist Kahlil Gibran, titled <em>The Tempest</em>. In his story, a young man who is roaming the Cedar Forests of Lebanon gets caught in a terrible storm, and seeks cover in a cave inhabited by a hermit. And he sees his being caught in the storm as a fortunate opportunity, enabling him to visit this old hermit in his cave, as he has long wanted to learn this old man’s spiritual secrets. Upon being let in, when he complains about the tempest outside, the wise old man says to him, “The tempest is clean…why do you seek to escape from it?…" He then goes on to impart his wisdom to the young man, and near the end of the story, the old hermit declares, “I am going now to walk through the night with the tempest…it is a practice that I enjoy greatly…”.&nbsp; And then looking deeply into the young man’s eyes, he says, “I hope you will teach yourself to love the tempest.”</span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block54"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is the lesson Elijah learned. His tempest allowed him to experience anew the beautiful presence and care of the Divine Artist, regardless of the strength of any of life’s storms.</span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block56"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div data-breakout="normal"> <div class="ZuC5J faq2B YCZ-u YZYFQ" dir="auto" id="viewer-i631v153"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> </div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div type="empty-line" data-hook="rcv-block57"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Artworks in this Visual Meditation (in order of presentation):</strong></span></div> <ol> <li type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block58"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;">Ferdinand Bol, <em>Angel Appearing to Elijah,</em>&nbsp;1642, Oil on canvas</span></li> <li data-breakout="normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u"></span><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u">Marc Chagall, <em>Elijah Touched by an Angel</em>, 1930, Handcolored Etching</span><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u"></span><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u">-Ferdinand Bol, <em>Elijah Resting under a Tree</em>,&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ca. 1642, pen and brown ink</span></span></li> <li type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block61"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>Baobab Tree </em>by Senegalese sand artist TINE, 2024, sand with Baobab tree glue on wood panel</span></li> <li type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block62"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u" style="font-size: 12pt;">Kahlil Gibran, Self-portrait</span></li> </ol> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div> <div type="paragraph" data-hook="rcv-block63"> <div id="comp-ifxzsk6p" class="HcOXKn c9GqVL QxJLC3 comp-ifxzsk6p wixui-rich-text" data-testid="richTextElement"> <h2 class="font_2 wixui-rich-text__text"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><sub><a href="https://www.paulgchandler.com/" target="_self" class="wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">ABOUT PAUL</span></span></a></sub></span></h2> </div> <div id="comp-j0w7ict3" class="HcOXKn c9GqVL QxJLC3 comp-j0w7ict3 wixui-rich-text" data-testid="richTextElement"> <p class="font_7 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">Paul G. Chandler is an author, art curator, speaker, interfaith peacemaker, intercultural bridgebuilder and an<a href="/component/jce/?view=popup&amp;tmpl=component" onclick="window.open(this.href+'&img=images/Rope_of_Hope_/Paul_G._Chandler_-_June_2024.jpg&title=','','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,location=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,left=0,top=0');return false;"><img src="/images/Rope_of_Hope_/Paul_G._Chandler_-_June_2024.jpg" width="320" height="263" alt="Paul G. Chandler June 2024" style="margin: 15px; float: right;" /></a> authority on the Middle East and Africa. He grew up in Senegal, West Africa, and has lived and worked extensively around the world in senior leadership roles within publishing, the arts, relief and development and the Anglican Communion. As the Founding President of&nbsp;<span class="wixui-rich-text__text"><a href="http://www.oncaravan.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="wixui-rich-text__text">CARAVAN</a></span>, he is recognized as a global leader in using the arts to further our quest for a more harmonious future, both with each other and with the earth, as well as in exploring the intersection between spirituality, faith and the arts. He is also a sought-after guide on the spirituality of the early 20th century poet-artist Kahlil Gibran, the author of&nbsp;<span class="wixui-rich-text__text">The Prophet.</span></span></span></p> </div> </div> <div data-breakout="normal"> <div class="ZuC5J faq2B YCZ-u YZYFQ" dir="auto" id="viewer-ktw477279" style="text-align: right;"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u"></span><a href="mailto:info@paulgchandler.com" target="_self" class="wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">info@paulgchandler.com</span></span></a></div> </div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div data-breakout="normal"> <div class="ZuC5J faq2B YCZ-u YZYFQ" dir="auto" id="viewer-xlkc67312"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u"></span></div> </div> <div type="empty-line" data-hook="rcv-block65">&nbsp;</div> <div data-breakout="normal"> <div class="ZuC5J faq2B YCZ-u YZYFQ" dir="auto" id="viewer-3tz9a7345"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u"></span></div> </div> <div type="empty-line" data-hook="rcv-block66">&nbsp;</div> <div data-breakout="normal"> <div class="ZuC5J faq2B YCZ-u YZYFQ" dir="auto" id="viewer-uzx5y7378"><span class="deJ7P YCZ-u"></span></div> </div> <div type="empty-line" data-hook="rcv-block67">&nbsp;</div> </div> <div type="last" data-hook="rcv-block-last">&nbsp;</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="BL3dva"> <div class="OSxNQL"> <div id="post-footer" class="OFA52E jG7PL8"> <div class="ux83lW" data-hook="post-main-actions-desktop">&nbsp;</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div style="border-bottom:1px solid #20379d;margin:80px 0 40px 0;"> </div></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="full1 art-pager " style=";padding:0 0 0px 0px"> <div class="row center1 " style="padding:0px 0" > <div class="c8 " style="padding:10px 20px;"> <ul class="tags inline"> <li class="tag-4 tag-list0" itemprop="keywords"> <a href="/component/tags/tag/the-prophet.html" class="label label-info"> The Prophet </a> </li> <li class="tag-5 tag-list1" itemprop="keywords"> <a href="/component/tags/tag/kahlil-gibran.html" class="label label-info"> Kahlil Gibran </a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="c4 " style="padding:10px 20px;text-align:right"> <ul class="pager pagenav"> <li class="previous"> <a class="hasTooltip" title="Lebanon, My Lebanon, Part 1" aria-label="Previous article: Lebanon, My Lebanon, Part 1" href="/latest/155-lebanon,-my-lebanon,-part-1.html" rel="prev"> <span class="icon-chevron-left" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span aria-hidden="true">Prev</span> </a> </li> <li class="next"> <a class="hasTooltip" title="Three Lebanese Folk Songs Translated into English by Kahlil Gibran" aria-label="Next article: Three Lebanese Folk Songs Translated into English by Kahlil Gibran" href="/latest/153-three-lebanese-folk-songs-translated-into-english-by-kahlil-gibran.html" rel="next"> <span aria-hidden="true">Next</span> <span class="icon-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div></div> <div class="full1 art-footer footer1" style="padding:40px 0px;background:#111;"> <div class="row center1" style="position:relative;z-index:20"> <div class="d2a" style="padding:10px 20px;"> <h3 class="footerheader" >Explore</h3> <a href="/about.html" id="ql0" style="text-decoration:none;display:block;line-height:200%">About</a> <a href="/the-prophet.html" id="ql1" style="text-decoration:none;display:block;line-height:200%">The Prophet</a> <a href="/archives.html" id="ql2" style="text-decoration:none;display:block;line-height:200%">Archives</a> <a href="/latest.html" id="ql3" style="text-decoration:none;display:block;line-height:200%">Latest</a> <a href="/contact.html" id="ql4" style="text-decoration:none;display:block;line-height:200%">Contact</a> </div> <div class="d2a " style="padding: 10px 20px; 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