Happy Mother's Day

Basil Waine Kong “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” (1 John 3:16) There can be no greater love. So, to manifest this love on mother earth, God gave us mothers to protect, nourish, and endow each of her children with caring and love. The definition of motherhood is that she willingly gives unconditional love, sacrifice herself (if necessary) to keep her children from harm and to create positive opportunities for them. A mother wants children to be everything they can be. That’s what she also doesn’t tolerate foolishness. This is my first Mother’s Day without my mother and I am feeling lonely---reflecting on those wonderful moments when she was particularly nurturing, funny and wise. I would have liked to hug up on her, shower her with poems, flowers, gifts and well wishes today but she is not here to receive them. So, for those of you who still have mothers, I hope you take the opportunity today to acknowledge her for her many sacrifices and give her roses while she can smell them. Oh what a beautiful morning! We are visiting with our Son Freddie and wife, Tracy, and two of our six beautiful and talented grandchildren, Kai and Haillie. It is a perfect morning. Freddie is Steph’s frist born and who made her a mother, so she is particularly emotional to share this day with him and his family. Their children are just wonderful and loving. They love that I chase them around the house and throw them from one end of the pool to the next. Freddie served mimosas and coffee as soon as we woke up and as I write this is fixing breakfast---fritata, bagels and lox, etc., etc. He is an excellent cook. Happy Mother’s Day! I guess I will have to adopt my aunts today but no one could substitute for my really great mother! A Mother's Love (Helen Steiner Rice) A Mother's love is something that no one can explain, It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain, It is endless and unselfish and enduring come what may For nothing can destroy it or take that love away . . . It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking, And it never fails or falters even though the heart is breaking . . . It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns, And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems . . . It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation , And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation . . . A many splendored miracle man cannot understand And another wondrous evidence of God's tender guiding hand.

Bless Be the Tie that Binds

Ladies and Gentlemen: I awoke this morning with a dream for the development of rural Jamaica. My idea will engage the Diaspora like never before, increase rural employment and go a long way to develop rural communities across Jamaica. I start with the premise that every community in Jamaica has had phenomenally successful people who got their broughtupsy in small communities. For example, in Woodlands District in St. Elizabeth where I grew up, I can count several doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, engineers and business men and women who remember the village that raised them but who owe much of their success to the values learned at their Granny’s knees. They all share, as I do, a love for the people of our district and want to stay connected. I love going back and worshiping with my people, hugging on them and helping in any way I can. So, what if we: 1. Organize a Board of 12 community people (from each district) to plan and build a building to accommodate: a. 12 motel rooms b. A restaurant c. A hall for social functions (weddings, Saturday night dances, club meetings, political meetings, etc. d. A retail outlet to sell items produced by those who live in the community e. Organize domino, table tennis and cricket clubs 2. Ask those who can afford it both here and abroad to invest in the building and its management. 3. The clear advantages to the Diaspora investing in this project a. A place to stay and visit with the “old people” b. Interesting and entertaining things to do when they are there c. A place to eat and drink and socialize when they visit d. A profit center In the old days, towns competed against each other in cricket and dominoes. Now “nutten a guan”. Out of these domino tournaments and cricket matches, talent could be identified and nurtured. In terms of its impact on the economy, tourists would be motivated to visit these non-resort towns. No matter how far we may travel from yard, if we were born in Jamaica, we will always be interested in our heritage. Let us go about bringing in new money, strengthen the ties between the people who reside here and the “beento” people who are spread out around the world. What a great way to spread our love, our music, our dance, our sports and culture! Yea Mon.