Do not be angry by the racist rants. Be happy that you are seeing the person who is ranting and raving and you are also seeing those who like and support their bigotry.

I was born 4 years after the PNM— People’s National Movement was formed in 1956 by Dr. Eric Williams.

Since I know myself my parents and my siblings were all PNM. One or two of my siblings moved to the left for a moment, but they always returned to the PNM. I am a PNM and that is it. Dr. Eric William’s choose the balisier as the national flag. Many people tried to destroy the balisier as they tried to destroy the PNM. He said that you can cut down the balisier, but rain will fall, wet it and it will spring up again.

I pray for PEACE and Unity in Trinidad and Tobago. It is time to build back the nation.

We forget so quickly.

Who built the SCHOOLS— PNM

Who gave FREE EDUCATION— PNM

We went to school for free from ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; to HIGH SCHOOL; to COLLEGE. Your diploma helped you get a very good job or move on to higher education.

If you were successful in your education, after college, students who wanted to be teachers, started off as monitors or teacher’s assistant then they went to training college. PNM was responsible for this.

Who built the HEALTH CENTERS— PNM

Who built the HOSPITALS— PNM

Students who wanted to be nurses started off as nurses assistant or as we called them Pinkies (because they were dressed in pink). Some of them left Trinidad and went abroad (England etc.) to school to continue their medical training.

Many other students were sent to trade schools (Blue color worker schools)— They studied plumbing, electrical, carpentry, masonry, welding etc.

Who built the ROADS— PNM

Who brought ELECTRICITY to rural areas—  PNM.

Who build the SEWER SYSTEM— PNM.

PNM was responsible from taking people out of a latrine system of living to a more comfortable way of getting rid of excrement.

My husband said that he went to San Juan RC school. Lock Joint is the company who ran the pipes for the sewer. The police station was near to the school and Lock Joint used to park their tractor opposite the police station. His friends told him that a Cornbeef tin key could start the tractor so he got one. The tractor was big and it was hard to climb up, but he got up, put the key in the ignition and turned it. The tractor rumbled and started. He said he got scared, jumped off and ran.

When the PNM had things in place for a security system, Kamla exposed it all saying that they were spying on Trinbagonians. She dismantled it and many people were happy that she did. Look at the state the country is in now. You have some criminals in jail and they have cell phones etc, Trinbago Criminals don’t care if they go to jail because they are comfortable.

“Happy Sunday. Why worry, when you can pray; Fear not! Stand your ground and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today. The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still. Ex.14:13-14.

Every time that stressful, demanding, taxing, worrying, traumatic, tense and nerve-racking thought flows through your mind say, “NO! Then say, “Our father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come, Thy WILL be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen ”

Breath deeply then say Amen and Amen to that.

A long time ago, stores used to cater to their customers. From the moment you walked into a store, you could see the extraordinariness.

When I was growing up, my favorite stores were F. W. Woolworth and Mr. Eddie’s store. My mother used to sew so she would send me to those stores to buy thread, buttons, hook-and-eyes, fasteners, zips etc. One day, she gave me a piece of fabric to get 8 covered buttons and one yellow button with pretty flowers. The button was to see if Mr. Eddie had two buttons like it. They were to replace the missing ones on her blouse.

When I walked into Mr. Eddie’s store, he was not there and I had to call out to him for a few minutes. He eventually came and I told him what I wanted. He took the fabric, emptied some buttons from a box on the counter, told me to look for the buttons, then he went to make the covered buttons.  There was a heap of more than 100 buttons on the counter and I started looking through them, but I did not see any buttons like the yellow button. Mr. Eddie finished covering the buttons then he returned.

“You find buttons?” He asked.

“No,” I said.

He put the buttons back in the box, put it on the shelf, took down another box of buttons, emptied some on the counter, passed his hand through them and he took up two identical yellow buttons like the one I had. I was excited that he found them, but I did not realize that Mr. Eddie knew where the buttons were. He made me look because he wanted me to be occupied, while he covered the other buttons. After I paid him one dollar and change, he gave me a sweetie (Candy) then I left the store. And those were the good old days. It was the best…

I know that goodness, badness, love and hatred are in all of us. It is up to us to choose the road we want to walk on.

I am hearing and seeing some adults try their best to speak convincingly about others. The hatred, untruthful, disgraceful, flow of words that they spill, makes me ask myself, “Are they not ashamed how nauseating they are?” In my 55 years on this earth I have never seen so much vulgarity and maligning. My sister a retired school principal said that she has never met anyone like the people she are seeing and hearing today.

LORD, have mercy on us. The devil is loose.

When I hit five zero, sugar and I became bitter enemies.

I could tell that I am over sugar when my daughter is eating Oreo cookies and my son eating oatmeal raisins cookies and I ignore them. Yes I really know that the rush is over when I ignore Rough Tops and Keebler Fudge Stripes Original cookies. Sugar is a killer and I am not missing it at all… A wonderful safe day to you.

School is back in session.

Sarah was having problems to get registered for her college classes. I was staying out of it because when she was having issues while in High School and taking college classes I would call her professors and they would say, “Ms. Joseph, Sarah has to be able to handle her situations and not have you deal with them. I would hand her the phone and tell her to deal with it, but when she looked at me in wonderment, I used to whisper to her what to say. It worked fine. Yesterday morning I said enough was enough and I called the college. God is so good. A woman answered and she was helpful. I put Sarah on the phone and they spoke for a while then Sarah hung up and she said, “Mom I am heading to the college. She got registered and today is her first class.

A wonderful safe day to you and yours.

Eccl. 37:8-10. “Be on the alert when one proffers advice. Find out first of all what he wants. For he may be thinking of himself alone; why should the profit fall to him? He may tell you how good your way will be, and then stand-by to watch your misfortune. Seek no advice from one who regards you with hostility; from those who envy you, keep your intentions hidden. Amen.

You don’t know who will give you a good word to lift your Spirit. You don’t know where your help will come from. Be kind and respectful to all.

One morning many years ago, I woke up feeling down because of an argument the night before. The hurtful words that were said were unfathomable and I walked around dressing for work in a daze. While dressing I looked in the mirror. My eyes and expression had the residue of the night before. I felt and looked awful. When I said that I was leaving for work, no one answered. Instead of saying anything, I left.

Every morning a man used to be sitting in a chair on his porch, with a hot cup of something in his hand. For no reason at all I did not like him, but he used to say, “Good morning. Have a beautiful and safe day. I never answered yet he always gave me a kind word and I used to think that he was a foolish man.

As I walked by that dreadful morning he said, Oh dear, my ray of sunshine. You are wearing black, looking lovely, strength and courage in your footsteps… Good for you.

My heart suddenly felt joy. I smiled and said, “Thank you.”

“You are welcome and have a wonderful safe day.”

“The same to you,” I said and smiled at him. No retort but a smile came from him.

My day was wonderful and that man politeness never ended until he passed on.