One year ago …
We said our good byes to friends, family, and everything that we have ever known in life to move Across the sea, and embark on the journey of a lifetime. The process of purging, packing and leaving was exciting and incredibly gut wrenching at the same time. Leaving behind family, friends and the home that we got married in and brought both of our children home to. Everything we have ever known or owned was gone, in a small storage unit, or in one of the 24 bags that came down with us. The beach photos over the past year have been the reward but the choices we made over the 2 years leading up to our departure were far from easy, with the unknown hope of an incredible experience.
We committed to staying for one year regardless of what we experienced…we had no idea that those experiences would include a volcanic eruption, a major COVID lockdown, freak storms that terrified us early in the morning and included 1000 lightning strikes per second, flooding of a portion of our home in Barbados, getting COVID (bad) in the US and having to work through lots to get back here to Barbados after my TED talk…AND an experience so rich and incredible that we are forever changed for the better. We have grown and experienced a way of life that we have loved every moment of, despite the bumps we have faced along the way. We have made friends from all across the globe and learned more about the world in this tiny Little Rock than we could have imagined possible. The kids are learning accents and about traditions from the West Indies, England, Canada, and of course from American friends we have met down here as well. The version of our kids we are seeing is revealing the best of them. There are no school shootings or supermarket abductions that take place here. I don’t worry about what to do if there is an active shooter when taking the kids to the grocery store, or about lisa and the kids getting followed when they are out.
We don’t have many of the conveniences of the US…there is no amazon, stores are closed on Sundays, and credit card machines often don’t work or it is cash only. Bus drivers stop and talk to each other in the middle of the road when passing each other, and we wait for 3 minutes while the catch up. You can get many things here, but there are far less choices. There are pot holes on some roads. Anger and frustration are also far less despite these things.
If we knew we would encounter the bumps that we did a year ago…WE WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN STILL!
The pace is slower and the focus is always on human connection…always! Because of the lack of some of these conveniences…very conveniently…what matters most in life emerges far easier. the kids are learning quickly the value of a dollar, because so much is handled with cash and not convenience. The inconveniences are conveniently quickly leading to an understanding of finance that was tougher to show. There are far less distractions and far clearer lines on when working…work. And when connecting with people…connect with them and be present. Rarely do you see kids at dinner on a device…they interact with their families and other children…because after all they are all out to dinner. The people here despite the challenges that life has thrown to the island in managing through COVID, always smile and have a can do positive attitude. Regularly when you ask a friend or perfect stranger: “Everything good?” You get some version of this response: “it is on us to make it good and that is a choice we make every day.”
This is wisdom not from some leadership guru, or social media icon but from any Bajan…whether a fisherman, a hotel employee, a doctor, or one of the numerous elders here in the island (Barbados has the greatest amount of centarians per capita on the planet.). 4 year olds walk by in the street, look anybody in the eye and say good morning or good afternoon and can carry on a conversation better than many adults I have seen.
The environment is not the right place for everyone, but our family has grown in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a year ago as we boarded our flight from San Francisco (which we were nearly kicked off of, with 24 bags checked in.)
So we will confirm here that we are extending our stay here.
Sometimes just flipping the script on how you think can open up a piece of your heart, soul and life in ways that create new standards.
If you are still reading much love to you and thank you for your friendship!
