Save our children

I attended the funeral of a girlfriend's firstborn son! A tall, handsome dark skinned boy, who would have turned nineteen in a few months. A quiet boy who was shot down...I don't want to say it like this, but, for want of better words... 'like a dog'.... in the streets. My eyes welled up as I looked at my friend, his mother, dressed in black, looking so forlorn, lost! I felt her pain, for there but by the grace of God go I! Too many mothers are burying their children today! Seems like there is a war among our boys and maybe even our girls. I pause, to wonder, when and how did 'we' allow this madness to happen. How was this disconnect created! I looked at the faces of the young men who attended the funeral, I wondered about their lives, what do they endure. I saw the presence of the police and military. I heard that an opposing group had attempted to disturb the funeral because the boy was from a different zone....the church was supposedly in the blue zone and he was allegedly associated with the red zone....I felt somewhat nervous both in the church and in the cemetery,as someone pointed out to me a group of young men in black who had red scarves in their pockets....is this really happening in these islands...am I in a fr...gin movie? I try to tell myself this can't be happening in these islands, but what I felt today must be what is being felt every time a young person is gunned down...the difference for me, is that, finally, it has hit very close to home....my former neighbors child, grandchild, niece, my friend's child, my daughter's playmate, my baby's playmate father...yes, he left behind a son and a 'bun in the oven'....I looked at the young girl with a slightly protruding belly and tears welled up again....I don't know her, she seemed okay on the outside, but who knows!

So my question is how do we save our children from this wave of violence that has infiltrated our islands....I know we have discussed this before in other blogs, but really, is there a way to help this young generation? How do I tell my child not to 'lime' in certain areas....for this is what happened....this boy liked to 'lime' on a particular corner, with his friends...but he lived with his mom, who was just a wee bit late in picking him up that evening....it was approximately 7.30pm.....a drive-by shooting spree caused this death! So are any of us safe? Are our children safe? How do we save them? We must save them somehow!

a different kind of day

Sometimes, it's necessary to change one's routine. Lately, I have felt like I've been just going, going, going....like de 'energizer bunny'. How do I go about having a different kind of day. To wake up and just be!

I dream of a day when I can just chill!
To enjoy a day doing nothing!
Is that so bad?

Even as I type this I wonder, where would my daughters be while I am enjoying waking up with nothing to do....even for just a day. Will I wake up and begin to worry because they are not here with me? Will I want to call them.... wherever they are...just to know that they are okay? But then that would be something...I would be doing something! I give up! For this would just be the tip of the iceberg!

Today I stayed home. Today, I am a housewife. My children are at school. The house is quiet. I plan my day and move efficiently but effectively....completing chores...sweeping, mopping, washing dishes, cooking, I can put the finishing touches on some of my work, I do some laundry.. the radio is on...my favorite talk show. I get a few laughs! I balance that with a telephone call or two....I check my emails and my favorite social networks...Whew!!! Now, I can watch TV.

Did I say that this was supposed to be a different day...one where I am supposed to put my foot up, rest and do nothing!

Actually, strangely, I feel good and somewhat rested but most definitely fully satisfied with a day well spent in my own company...the fact my children thoroughly enjoyed their dinner is an added plus!



Give thanks!