70: Remembering a Revolution

I was not even thought of when the Black Power uprising took place in Trinidad and Tobago in 1970.

I was privileged to have the opportunity to go to see the documentary film of this period. Directed by Alex de Verteuil and Elizabeth Topp, they brought to the screen the various views, images and memories of those who were involved in this movement.

The film technically speaking was a great piece of work. Although for someone like myself who knew nothing about that time there could have been more editing techniques used to keep the audiences' attention. I stayed awake during the film because I wanted to KNOW. But the film lacked the power of keeping someone's attention and I believe that even for those who don't want to know we need to find a way to portray this information so that they at least want to listen.

When I left The Little Carib Theatre where the screening was held, I must say I left with lots of emotions swelling up inside of me. Feelings from remorse and sorrow to feelings of anger and disgust.

My angry feelings were directed at a period that I "believed" tried to do something about a situation but only made it worse especially for those who had to live through 1990 and beyond. Coincidentally in 1990 there was another uprising in Trinidad and Tobago.

I felt sorrow and remorse for those who had to live through a type of discrimination that really and truly should have never existed, but the fact is it does exist and still exists and we don't know when it's going to disappear. For my generation I think we've reached a stage where we accept and we don't care if people discriminate against us - our attitude now is, "your loss". But that's because we have options now.

What I keep in mind about this time is that, as I said before - I was not even thought of. So I do not know what situations the people of 1970 were living under. However when they describe these situations I look around and feel that it is same. There is still racial discrimination, class discrimination, educational discrimination. So although now a little black girl like myself can get three degrees in Engineering and Business and get a job, I am still not of the "class" of people who can afford a house and a car.

For myself and many young people today, whether they be white or black, Chinese or Indian there is a different level of discrimination that exists today and tomorrow it will simply be replaced by another. For the disenchanted among the youth, I will ask you to view this film and not judge the people of this era because there were some benefits that came out of this period but rather see how it is possible to rally around a right cause. The methods I will never agree with but the cause was important.


Personally I blame this period for a lot of the lawlessness that exists in our country today. This period dealt poorly with a military mutiny that in my opinion left the impression on all citizens that you can do the unspeakable in this country and get away with it! I was told by one born years before 1970 that perhaps it has something to do with the fact that our country is named after The Trinity. That is why we are so forgiving.

Needless to say for someone who cared very little about the history of my own country I must thank the producers and directors for helping understand why our country is the way it is today, where we've come from and a glimpse of the vision that was held for this country. I still feel we have a long way to go.

The Alchemist

I remember that when I was younger I had a vivid imagination, somewhere along the way that imagination just seemed to dry up.

My husband said it was because I had given up on my dream. I told him I don't think I ever had any dreams.
Then he gave me this book to read - The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. He has become one of my favorite authors.

The Alchemist is one of those  books that reminds you that you DO have a purpose even if you forgot it. I'm sure like anyone who has read The Alchemist, it had a tremendous effect on how you looked at your life.

Fiction has a profound way of hitting the nail on the head, we always what to travel all over the world to find our calling in life, when the only place we should really look is right within ourselves. I have recommended this book to many of friends, because regardless of what stage in life you are at, if you really have a desire to live your life to the fullness it is never too late to start.

Another element of the book that I love is the emphasis of the concept of the journey. I realized for myself that I was always caught up with what the end will be - the finish line - and I never took time to enjoy the journey to the finish line. It also reminds you that sometimes we get 'distracted' on our journey, but we have to always remember to stay the course and see where the road leads you, and who knows maybe those 'distractions' will come back into your life as a permanent "feature".

The best part about this book that has propelled me to consistently work towards my dream, is that this little shepherd boy stopped 'dreaming' and started doing. The only way we get somewhere is by doing something, and for years I would sit and dream of being this or being that.... now I do what I want to be, so that one day I can be what I dream of being.

Memories Before and After the Sound of Music

I'm sure we all remember the movie The Sound of Music - Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. It was the first movie I could remember the entire script for.

But then years later after this version of the story of the Trapp Family Singers got stuck in my mind, I was almost devastated when I read the Autobiography of Agathe Von Trapp a member of the original Trapp Family singers. Here was the person who's life had been cemented in the world's mind in the movie of The Sound of Music, but their actual story could not be more different.

I can't remember how I happened to come across the book, but when I saw it I thought, "This is wonderful! I get to read the story from the actual lips of one who lived the Trapp family singers experience"

As I turned the pages of the book - I saw a completely different family to what the big screen producers depicted.
You can almost say they got it all wrong! Then I remembered as Agathe herself stated in the book, that movies are movies. But I did feel her pain and sadness when to think that so many people would have tried to associated her with one of the seven children in the movie.

The book shows the real family of the Von Trapp's. It talks about a loving father, and a loving mother. It talks about the challenges of living with such a big family. They also talked about their faith. How their faith, their beliefs kept them together as a family.

Although large families are so scarce these days reading this book brings comfort to those who wish to have large families. We can't say that the Von Trapp's were "rich" but they were rich in spirit, talent, love of their family and most of all love for their faith. This is what kept them together for all those years and what allowed them to survive the various trials.

Agathe sets us straight making us realize for those of us like myself who were so naive to think the movie Sound of Music was their life.

A wonderful book about an old tale that we know so well.

Rome Sweet Home

There are two authors that you will see a lot of my opinions from - Paulo Coelho and the one and only Scott Hahn.

Yes "Rome Sweet Home" is this first Scott Hahn book I ever read. The simplicity of his writing is what first allows you to sit for an entire weekend and read a book. (This is coming from someone who never used to read much).

This book is a book about the journey one man took to coming home to the Catholic Faith.
As a good student of "science" I took a completely different route to Scott Hahn, but the journey's were similar. Unlike Scott Hahn who in his book he very careful describes his complete abhorrence for anything Roman Catholic, I started my journey in the Catholic Church.

Hahn shares with his readers what he called in one of his speaking sessions, a detective story, the horror story and then the love story. He shares the journey of his youth, his studies of religion, theology and most importantly he shares the fact that the last thing he'd ever be is a Roman Catholic. Ironically if you think about it being a Roman Catholic is the last "thing" Scott Hahn is.

For those Catholics who have drifted away or for those who don't believe the truths that are inherent in the Catholic Church, I recommend this book.
Even if you as a Catholic struggle with certain teachings this book and many other of Scott Hahn's books help us all understand the very deep meaning and "evidence" so to speak of Our Faith.

Critics of the Catholic Church need to read and meet Scott Hahn, because after reading this book I didn't think they was anyone in the world who was more opposed to the Catholic Church than him. His book details the research, the journey, the challenges he faced on his journey back home to Rome.