I hope this is in line with the serious thought-provoking and introspective subjects that are being posted by the Lady.

Let's ask ourselves for what reason did we leave our warm Grenadian home if it was so good as we claim?

Call it what you wish, there is that thing or spirit that drives people to seek whatever they perceive as the better life. Some have stayed at home and somehow found it. Others traveled far and wide and after obtaining what they considered as the necessary requirements, have returned home to enjoy that better life. But by far the majority have migrated abroad and stayed in their new adopted lands to make their homes. England and the US being the prototype.

Did these people simply leave Grenada just to boast that they are in the United States or Canada or the UK or wherever else? I don't think so.
I've seen too many Gouyave folks who back home would hardly be thought of as having the capability to make it. Yet in America for example those very people have done very well in the arena of their choice. Some have accumulated great sums through real estate; some through furthering their education; some through nursing, and some even though working as domestics, by sheer determination and strong will, have achieved what would have been impossible for them to do had they remained at home.
Needless to say there are lots who fit into this latter category, and without reservation I admire and respect them greatly. I can't over say how happy I am when I meet them or hear about their success despite how modest it may be. And I'm especially pleased to see past seemingly "hopeless" students who woke up and seized the opportunities before them. I'm still in awe and singing the praises of one of them who emceed the last St. John's Educators Scholarship fund raising event. I couldn't believe it was the same "difficult" boy I knew so well as a student back then. Bravo to Peter Boyke and his wife Maria!!!

But what about those who chose instead to waste their time strictly partying and are no better off than before, and don't seem to care less about tomorrow? What about those who apparently prefer to be tenants in Uncle Sam's "big houses"? Couldn't these people have stayed at home in warm Grenada instead and achieve the same nothing without subjecting themselves to the cold freezing climes of America or Canada or England? What was the point of migrating if not for self improvement?

That's however only one part of the story. The other part is the accomplishments and non-accomplishments of our second and third generations. Nothing is as dismaying as hearing that a child of someone you know very well is in jail, some even for life! Nothing is as disconcerting as hearing that a Gouyave person's child is caught up in the drug life and would shoot anyone who crosses them on the drop of a dime. In A PLACE CALLED GOUYAVE I posited that this is among the worst tributes that we can pay to our ancestors who worked their bones off so that our lives would be much better than theirs.

Don't we owe our mama and grandma and all those who preceded them, something? Did the struggles that our parents and long gone ancestors go through mean nothing to us? Aren't we obligated to honor their memories and may I say indemnify them in some positive way? Shouldn't bettering ourselves in some way be the positive way for us to say that their struggles were not in vain? Shouldn't that be our way of saying thank you to those past generations? As noted above it doesn't have to be only via education because the opportunities are far too vast to be limited!

That leads me to segue into a new site called http://www.grenada40.com. Here is a site that is highlighting the achievements of young Grenadians under 40 years of age abroad as well as back in Grenada. I was so proud to see the children of two of my old schoolmates featured, especially as each of their careers was as non-traditional as it could be. To continue doing so the people at Grenada Under40 are asking for nominations so that they can bring other young people into the limelight. Here is site that's highly recommended and ought to be supported. Few things are as influential as EXPOSURE!

I pray that this new site would be motivating enough to influence our young people to develop whatever skills they have and excel in it for the Grenadian if not the world community to see.

My wish for 2015.