“Fairouz, Fairouz!”
How many times have I heard this name when mentioning my Lebanese heritage. Through songs like “Behabak ya Lubnan” (I love you, Lebanon), she acted as a uniting force in a country tearing itself apart in a civil war.
Although referred to as the “soul of Lebanon”, her fame also extended throughout the Middle East, where her voice was the first one heard each morning on most radio stations for many years.
Even to this day, I can recall many mornings spent with Syrian, Lebanese and Moroccan friends where Fairouz had to be played in the background, as part of their morning ritual.
This is what went through my mind as a Syrian patient tried to explain why she had went to the hospital: “Fairouz, Fairouz!”. I smiled, understanding why she had mistakenly understood this familiar and comforting name rather than “virus”.