NORMALLY, in the last column of the year I would do a li’l review of the year past but tuh be honest wid ya, huh, stuuppppse!
I ain’t know if I want tuh do anything so this year ’cause the truth is, I ain’t know if I able. I ain’t even know if this poor old head o’ mine could tek um after seeing how hard last year went down. Um din easy ya know? It was a rough one.
Look, every year around this time, most people, including me, does be kinda pulling away from the past year wid its demands and its pressures and look forward tuh the upcoming year wid a whole lot o’ anticipation.
Some people does be hoping dat all the things which happened tuh dem in the past year would just go away fuh good. Some people does be praying dat life would be a bit less stressful in the coming year.
Duh got some people who does be hoping tuh find the pot o’ gold they read and hear ’bout at the end of the rainbow. This Christmas season I hear quite a few people saying dat it cahn get nuh worst than this, dat something gotta give.
But evahbody doan be hopeless, ya know. Duh got a lot o’ people out there who does be optimistic, regardless. They does be forever striving and trying tuh make ends meet wid wha’evah little duh got.
Duh also got a lot o’ people who, despite however hard things are, does still find it their hearts tuh give something tuh somebody else less fortunate than dem. They does find something, evah suh slight, out of their own lack tuh give and look, nuhbody doan know, hear? ’Cause dem kinda people special; duh doan be jumping up and broadcasting nutten. Dem doan be doing it fuh nuh kinda praise or glory from anybody. And ya know something else ‘’bout dem? Duh always look happy.
But tuh go back tuh the stresses of 2011, if you listen tuh the news and the many predictions from all o’ the people who always seem tuh know it all, who seem tuh have it down pat; people who does act like dem got the future in the palm o’ dem hands and like dem know all things at all times and who only predicting doom and gloom fuh evahbody; I gine tell ya, you would certainly go off ya rocker.
You yourself does know and come tuh accept dat things ain’t like before when ya could splurge a li’l bit pon certain things, and all through dem rough times ya does be still telling ya’self dat it gine be all right and things ain’t gine be so fuhevah – duh gine get better. Next thing ya know ya does open the papers one day and see a big able article wid one o’ these predictors talking hopelessness and throwing a bucket o’ cold water pon ya optimism.
Look, it could be worse. We have so very much tuh thank God for, hear.
Ting, all like now so although Saddam Hussein dead, Bin Laden dead, Muammar Gaddafi dead, thousands o’ civilians all up in dem Arab countries dead; presidents, prime ministers, political leaders and a whole lot o’ important people get pelt outta duh big positions up in dem places, yet duh still fighting and killing off duh one another evah single day.
Nutten so doan happen ’bout here. Of course, we got um hard; just now we gine have tuh start using the lanterns, candles and lamps dat we does keep fuh the hurricane season ’cause we gine have tuh make a choice between paying the electric bill or starve. Ya understand? The newspapers dat we does read and throw away easy so, some o’ we might have tuh wet it and use it in we bathrooms. Recycle it.
Still, I, fuh one, would prefer tuh have it this way than tuh have the lot o’ violence, wars and destruction day in and day out. People does talk what they like, but despite all, we still have a special kind o’ freedom, praise God!
I see Bajans from all walks of life there in the papers all during the Christmas season talking ’bout how they plan tuh spend their Christmas and most o’ dem say dat dem gine start off Christmas morning by going tuh church and then going home tuh eat, drink, relax and enjoy the day wid duh family and friends who might be dropping in.
Look, instead o’ worrying ’bout what might or might not be or what might or might not happen, leh we make some serious resolutions tuh pray and pray and when we get tired praying, pray some more fuh better days. I know if all o’ we pray and believe dat things will be better, believe me, they will be better.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in the Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.