Donna and Elombe in Bequia

So some 21 years ago, when I got a phone call from my best friend Donna (in those days phone calls were expensive and precious) telling me that she had met the man of her dreams, was going to get married  and go live in Barbados I told her she was crazy! Who is this man? What do you know about him? She was in love, he was her soulmate. Donna you tell me this every three months, I told her. You Libra people just love being in love! I tried desperately to save her from herself. Donna you can’t leave Jamaica, what about your career? What about your place in politics? What happens in 6 months when you realize your mistake?  I can’t remember if I actually also spoke to Elombe and warned him not to hurt her, and what would happen to him if he did. Maybe that was just in my imagination.

But I could not deter her, off she went to Barbados and married her soulmate. And 21 years later here they are, with their much loved Ja-ja graduating from high school. Celebrating those years in Bequia, that blissful Caribbean island, where apparently 21 years in the real world equals 31 Bequia years!

How do we really know when we are making the right decisions in life, especially those big, life changing decisions? Marriage, job changes, career moves, relocations, how do we decide when to make a move? It takes a great deal of courage to change the path of your life. Keeping on keeping on, even in a bad situation, is often easier. We look at people in abusive relationships and wonder, why don’t they just leave? But change is scary; it requires a leap of faith and an open mind.

I once asked my father how he made the decision to move his entire family to Jamaica. He told me he always knew when God wanted him to do something. And I felt jealous, how nice to be so sure. Sometimes it is only in hindsight we can see that the decision was the right one. But even if it is the wrong one, the important thing is to make it the right one. For it is not the decision itself that is important, it is how we implement it. Do we go into a relationship determined to make it work, or do we run at the first sign of trouble? Do we change jobs, and then quit when it doesn’t turn out to be the perfect job? What we make of our life is up to us, we have the power to make the best of every decision.

On the topic of brave decisions, I must recommend the facebook page Travel with Jodi – she is the daughter of CC past student Mitzi Marshall who has bravely decided to turn her love of travel into an adventure and blog. Please visit her page and if you feel the urge support her as she ventures into the vast unknown. Perhaps it will give you the inspiration to follow your own dream.

So good luck Facebook Family! As you look at your life and think of your own big decisions of the past and potentially in the future, maybe it will give you the strength to take that leap of faith, and go for it! Something really wonderful may be waiting for you!

And let’s hope Donna forgives me for sharing her story with you!

One Love Family!