The cedar tree is one of the oldest and most recognized symbols of Lebanon. It exists in both the tangible and symbolic realms of every Lebanese individual’s life. As a national symbol, it was everywhere—on the flag, official documents, school notebooks, billboards, passports. It was something I grew up with, woven into the visual fabric of everyday life. From a young age, we were taught that the cedar is not just part of our flag; it represents the Lebanese spirit: tall, unshakable, deeply rooted in our ancient soil.
But beyond this nationalistic framing, the cedar also had a physical presence in my life. Real cedar wood was not something we encountered daily—it’s rare and often protected. But when we visited the mountains, especially the famous Cedars of God forest in Bsharri, the experience of seeing and touching the trees felt sacred. My family treated these trips almost like rituals. 
When my family had to leave Lebanon a few years ago because of renewed violence and instability, we left behind our home, friends, and the physical spaces that once held our memories. I suddenly found myself going through a major identity crisis, from a lebanese citizen living in my own country which i’ve memorized every street in, to an immigrant navigating unfamiliar systems and cutures. To help ease my homeickness, my mother has gave me and my siblings a matching necklaces that have the lebanese cedar engraved in the center that she got right before our foced immigration. 
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– zeinab

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant