Celebrating life

Watch how Jah give we life and love.” The words and beat of the hit song, “Cheers to Life” really express the joy and expectancy of renewed hope that a New Year now offers us.

We acknowledge our challenges - largely a parlous economy and runaway crime - the latter including the sad and needless death of disabled Jameel Alambi, 37, trapped in an east Port-of- Spain fire on Sunday sparked by persons’ reckless use of fireworks.

However, we must take time out to celebrate life, even as we realise it is fleeting and a gift, and one not to be taken for granted as St Louis himself acknowledges.

We celebrate the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) Sports Personality of the Year, Akeem Stewart, 24, whose gold medal in javelin at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games shows how a man born with a disadvantage but given the right dose of help can rise to do deeds to lift the entire nation of Trinidad and Tobago on the world stage.

Following his brothers and uncle’s family tradition of athleticism, Akeem shone bright to emulate TT’s 2012 Olympic gold medal javelinist, Keshorn Walcott.

In addition to our golden boys, we celebrated the country’s golden girls, sisters Claretta Edwards, 100, and Una Webster-Lardy, 105, the toast of Cumuto, the latter who celebrated her 105th birthday on Christmas Day. In this era where mindlessness and rootlessness seem to characterise so many of our young citizens, very valuable insights and lessons are to be gleaned from a recollection of the life stories of these two sisters. For example, while life yesteryear might have been harder materially speaking, it is apparent that the self-discipline fostered by these hardships such as rural isolation would have brought benefits to health such as physical ardour and a diet of fruits and vegetables. In addition, many of us can take a leaf from the book of Edwards who underlined the value of family by her glowing tribute to the love and support given by her daughter and other family members.

This may well be an indictment against those who have abandoned relatives to the open pavements our cities and towns.

We also celebrate Ethel Castellano, 100, who amid dancing among her descendants at a party at Arima on Sunday, was able to offer advice on the secret to raising children and to longevity.

“Spare the rod and spoil the child. They had to obey. All of them came out just fine,” she proffered on child-rearing.

At the other end of the scale of age, the New Year brought a bounty of new babies born across the country. Each new child brings new hope, and is a symbol of the dreams and aspirations of their parents and of us all. We hope that these babies will grow up with all the love of their families and neighbours, even as we recall the plea in the Christmas messages/sermons of several local priests/pastors for a better family-life in which to raise our children.

On this theme of building better individuals, better families, better communities and ultimately a better nation, we do well to reflect on Pope Francis New Year Message. Offering an exquisitely simple dictum, the Pope said, “The New Year will be good in the measure in which each of us, with the help of God, tries to do good, day by day. That’s how peace is created.” Let’s celebrate life.