***Once upon a time, a child was born. Between the different events, that child learned that the end in sight is more important than the beginning. My story is not unique, maybe the sequence happening to one person is. I am every woman, every story behind closed doors, every marriage, and every company. This is the story of a woman born in Lebanon with an international view on life. After losing her mother at birth, being exiled to the States and experiencing family leaving her life, Badiaa developed an inner strength that has allowed her to cope with events that would have broken someone less strong. Take Badiaa’s journey with her and discover truths about yourself and inspiration to take through your own life.***
#MOI All I can say, if I had survived and succeeded, you can!
I am the Host of the online daily Livestream “Let’s Grow Corporate Style”
Hi Badiaa Hiresh, thank you for agreeing to this interview.
Oltobooks : Tell us a little about yourself and your background? Badiaa Hiresh : Badiaa Hiresh was born in Lebanon in 1964 where she eventually lived and worked, raising her two daughters Vanessa and Tiffany. Badiaa also spent time in the USA after surviving the bitterness of the Lebanese Civil War, which gives her a unique international perspective on her home country. After working as an accountant and manager for the family jewelry business, Badiaa found herself in the field of education, helping to start a school. As well as writing, Badiaa is an advocate for peace, spending many years as a Peace Coordinator. Badiaa, the child born to a painful beginning, dreamed, and reached International by publishing three books, Where Is My Angel?; Mommy, I Am A PACER; & Life’s Detours, Alexandra’s Choices.
Oltobooks : What are your ambitions for your writing career? Badiaa Hiresh : To inspire readers and change their life, and see my books on the big screen.
Oltobooks : When did you decide to become a writer? Badiaa Hiresh : I wrote since I could think and hold a pen. Having lost my mom at birth, made me write to her in my mind, and speak to her to feel safe; and then came my diary.
Oltobooks : Why do you write? Badiaa Hiresh : The topics I write about touch upon reality. I want to heal the world from pain, I want people to get over their issues and deal with them and prevent them through actions.
Oltobooks : What made you decide to sit down and actually start something? Badiaa Hiresh : I always had that passion and imagination. When I was in Grade 2 I won the reading award and I always knew and wanted to write. So what made me decide to sit down and actually start something, well, imagine you are at school event, all mothers are there, and your mother’s seat is empty… so you fill the blank of the seats, events, life moments, etc… with words.
Oltobooks : Where do your ideas come from? Badiaa Hiresh : From real life events, personal and those I lived, and witnessed.
Oltobooks : What is the hardest thing about writing? Badiaa Hiresh : The hardest thing about writing is writing about yourself, and the decision of how much to say!
Oltobooks : What is the easiest thing about writing? Badiaa Hiresh : The easiest thing about writing is the process itself, at least to me. Once I start, I keep on writing, no planning, no mapping, just words and ideas flowing!
Oltobooks : If this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it? Badiaa Hiresh : Where is My Angel? my biography Once upon a time, a child was born. Between the different events, that child learned that the end in sight is more important than the beginning. My story is not unique, maybe the sequence happening to one person is. I am every woman, every story behind closed doors, every marriage, and every company. This is the story of a woman born in Lebanon with an international view on life. After losing her mother at birth, being exiled to the States and experiencing family leaving her life, Badiaa developed an inner strength that has allowed her to cope with events that would have broken someone less strong. With time, she learned to stand alone. She learned about the importance of a smile, she learned about the steps towards happiness, she learned about true friendship, she learned about inner-peace, she learned about what makes a family, and additionally, she learned to differentiate between fate and destiny. Fate came with her birth, but she knew that destiny was in her own hands. Mommy, I Am a PACER: Meet Abigail. Abigail is a girl who’s made a difference in her community by becoming a PACER, but what is a PACER? A PACER is a person who exhibits perseverance, agility, clarity, empathy, and respect. In this collection of short stories, each book represents one of the letters of the word PACER and its attributed characteristics. Join Abigail as she perseveres in welcoming new members into her community, demonstrates her ability to make quick and successful decisions, learns to resolve conflicts by talking openly and honestly with others, and so much more! Mommy, I’m a PACER encourages children to adopt the attitude of a PACER and teaches them how to interact with others and react positively to many different day-to-day situations. Life’s Detours, Alexandra’s Choices This story is about women and for women. Can broken hearts be mended? Alexandra is a dreamer, the youngest child of a large, reserved family. She longs to escape her small-town life and begins a secret life when she is nearly sixteen, singing at a small pub in the next town over. Her parents find out and give her a choice: stop singing or leave home. She leaves and soon finds herself involved with a much older man. When she discovers she is pregnant, however, her entire life changes once more. She sets out on a journey to a big city, determined to make her own choices and find her dreams, regardless of the challenges she faces. Between the life chosen for us and that we chose, we learn lessons that we forget with time. We end up sinking, derail from the right path, and then miss opportunities as we dread embarking on new waves, thanks to the depth of the wounds caused by those closest to us. But when we feel most disappointed in ourselves, we must be strong and remember we deserve happiness, justice, and success. This novel follows the life and journey of a young woman facing an unexpected pregnancy without support from anyone and choosing to chase her dreams anyway.
Oltobooks : What are your thoughts on writing a book series? Badiaa Hiresh : I love it, I did in the 5 short stories of Mommy, I AM a PACER, it connects you with the characters.
Oltobooks : What is your favourite positive saying? Badiaa Hiresh : Nothing will change until the day you take the first step. You are not alone!
Oltobooks : Where can you see yourself in 5 years’ time? Badiaa Hiresh : Watching one of my books on the big screen, and in inspiration talks.
Oltobooks : What advice would you give to your younger self? Badiaa Hiresh : Keep your diary at your fingertips and document your life!
“Perfection standards are in your hands… Right or wrong is an opinion…
People will judge, people will criticize, with time people forget a story, to move on to another person and/or story, but deep down there is a story, right or wrong is an opinion, and it’s yours, of your story and your opinion of the facts!
You are faced in life with obstacles & challenges that arm you with more skills and self-confidence… It’s your life, live it to look back not to regret, missing an opportunity or messing it up…
#MOI Live it, for you!”
I am the Host of the online daily Livestream “Let’s Grow Corporate Style”
“Hello Sunday…. what goes around comes around! What a morning, I woke up with a serene mood, I had a chat with my mentor yesterday, and I felt not on standby anymore.
You know, I used to wait, all my life I did, to receive a call, or a message, before I proceeded with what I wanted to do! But, yesterday, was my last standby, decision made, if convenient, let it be!
So I woke up energetic, free, and ready to do what I had planned. Of course, while having coffee in bed, I started the movie “The family man”, then the electricity went off, so I searched the movie on Netflix and found instead “A family Man”. You wonder how two movies would run with practically the same title, but since I have watched both, I tell you, every word counts in a sentence, and every moment counts in life!
To begin with, I do recommend this movie, watch it, actually both are worth an evening. But, truth be told, I had some angry moments, reflecting on my life, and those who took away things from me, things that affected my life, but, being the woman I am, and became, no one can ever, again, do that. I made it in life, despite launching in the world with a lack of credit; I made it, despite them depriving of everything, literally… I made it, WHERE IS MY ANGEL? will tell you how, guide you, and inspire you.
Then, the movie gave me peace, and reassured me, that what goes around comes around… I never wished evil, sickness, or misfortune, to anyone; and as well I don’t forgive. I always say, forgiveness is Holy, and I am only human; I do not hold grudges though, I just move away, and let things be! Human power can beat you on earth, but Holy power will beat you while living, sleeping, working, and when it’s time to face eternity! Today’s movie reassured me about Karma, and gave me more peace to live, and more space to enjoy… The space you need in your mind, and soul, to get to know yourself more, your value more, the person you are, and the feeling you deserve… Happiness and a piece of peace!” #MOI Have a peacefully happy Sunday.
“27 years ago, on this day, I head to the hospital with 11 kilos on my belly, with pre-eclampsia & my gestational diabetes, my 2.7 months daughter, her sleeping accessories, and my husband (ex today), in order to induce labor and deliver the baby I waited for … Nine months, for my family to grow, in my belly, a baby, in my thoughts, Mother Mary, you are mom, stand by me! & here she was, a gift of God, as I named her, Tiffany! & below you see one of the moments shared with her…
If you ask me why the first picture, well, I went to Barcelona to visit her during her Masters, she said mom climb on the lion for a picture it’s beautiful, off course I did, & off course being someone who fears altitude, I sat there looking at her, laughing and telling myself, I truly hope this girl will never ask me to jump!”
#MOI sharing with you beautiful motherly memories… priceless!
“No water is deep enough for me to sink in… I have enough reasons to bounce back, I love life, I love myself, I have loved ones I care about!
Yes, I tripped many times, yes, I was deceived many times, I am only human…” So. #MOI, no water is deep enough for me to sink in! My book Where is My Angel? tells the story.
Host of online Livestream & Author of
*Life’s Detours – Alexandra’s Choices Book by #MOI, Can broken hearts be mended?
*Where is My Angel? Book by #MOI and Read about the role of Faith in my life
*Mommy, I am a PACER! Book by #MOI because I believe that children are the future, the change…
“Enjoy the moment, no one knows what is coming next! Literally, life with COVID-19 taught us a lesson for life.
I always think about the COVID generation children.
Those who kind of came to a virtual life. They met their parents with a mask on, they played with their few friends with a mask on, they witnessed a virtual hug and kiss, and saw people saluting others by elbow and fist tap, they saw the grass in a picture before they felt it under their feet, they played soccer inside the house, they were taught online, they kept distance from each other inside one’s house, they lived the phase of disinfecting everything upon delivery thinking we cannot trust the bearer, they blew the birthday candle outside the cake, gatherings are limited by the government to a few, they never knew the mall, to them life is online…
Life during COVID has taught us a lot, especially us, the adults that lived life freely, & knew what is a world and a social life life. It taught us to remain connected with those we love, to keep hope alive, and mainly to put lipstick when we can… who knows when we can walk freely again, masks off, & wearing lipstick!”
#MOI a shallow moment in a crisis… I miss life, and my lipstick!
Host of online Livestream & Author of
*Life’s Detours – Alexandra’s Choices Book by #MOI, Can broken hearts be mended?
*Where is My Angel? Book by #MOI and Read about the role of Faith in my life
*Mommy, I am a PACER! Book by #MOI because I believe that children are the future, the change…
“Believing in self was the first step… I was born alone and faced the world alone. I don’t remember the past, simply because I chose not to, and until this day, I still have phases of my early childhood, and adolescent age vague, and totally non-existing, as if I was not there.
All I recall, the outcome of this era made me strong, with strong survival skills, with protective maternal instincts, with women defensive mechanism, with so many qualities or rather characteristics that made me the person I am today, and basically, among them BELIEVING IN SELF!
When thinking about it, I cheered my success, because there was no one to cheer for me; I fought my battles, because there was no one to fight them for me; I leaned on the wall, because there was no one to offer that security for me; I believed in self, because I had to, because I knew, I can stand alone, in the midst of many storms, facing the world, I am no longer that infant you ignored, I am no longer that child you… I wish I can remember how and who hurt me, actually, I don’t know if I still want to know, all I know, you made me that strong, and I hate it as much as I like it!
What made you the person you are!”
#MOI the woman I made of myself, the success I reached, alone… imagine if I had you!
“Escaping the world to hide in my reality… If you ever loose me, here is my refuge! Sun, wind, & waves… I have always connected with the ocean, the refuge where I always shed my thoughts and tears… Never betrayed me, always there for me, always motivating and inspiring, and always understanding!”
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