What is your greatest childhood memory?
My greatest childhood memory is seeing leatherback turtles hatch for the first time and watching them trek to the vast ocean in spite of the fact that they had never even seen water before! One of the tagged turtles was found in the waters off the coast of Africa. That exciting moment taught me – literally – that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; and it doesn’t matter how little those feet may be.
What is your most fabulous moment?
My most fabulous moment is seeing my loved ones smile. There is an incomparable joy I get when I see the eyes of someone I care about lighting up. That moment is immortal; it gives me a little glimpse of heaven each time.
What keeps me passionate is . . .
My relationship with nature and the universe. There is no way I could disbelieve that God truly exists. Every morning on the way to work, I absolutely adore looking out over the Bridgetown Harbour or Brandon’s Beach and I always think how beautiful Barbados is and “how great Thou art”!
My biggest regret is . . .
Not being in the same room when my grandmother suffered a heart attack because I slept in my parents’ bed that night. I had a flu and it was the only time in about two years that we did not sleep in the same room. I always think that if I had been there, too much time would not have elapsed and that we could have gotten her to the hospital before she passed away in the back seat of the car, in my father’s arms.
The person who has made the biggest impact on my life?
My paternal grandmother. She went out on her own at the age of eighteen after refusing the husband she had been “arranged” to marry. She ended up building a textile business, which allowed her to educate all her children up to tertiary level and provide them all with homes. She taught me that no one can limit you, and that the only limitations placed on you are the ones you place on yourself. She also taught me how to invest money, respect all people, and always said, “No one is better than you. But remember, you are no better than anyone else.”
A life-changing moment happened when . . .
I realised that love is not supposed to hurt.
My most treasured possession is . . .
I don’t own anything; everything comes and goes. Life is that kind of cycle.
How did I ever exist without . . .
Coca-cola!
What I love most about myself now is . . .
That I have courage enough to follow my heart; and that in spite of several “learning and burning” experiences, I still have faith that every human being is fundamentally good.
