“Good grades lead to scholarships for higher education. A meaningful degree leads to well-paying jobs with opportunities to advance.” This message is drummed incessantly by Grandfather. His children picked up the refrain and beat it into their children (i.e., my generation). We continued the tradition. After their mother’s passing, grandfather demanded all his children finish ...

The silence was so profound that every step we took echoed. This was why, despite being strangers, Adrianne and I stuck together as long as possible. We were part of the same dance troupe, and with the Soca monarch competition looming, we spent the majority of our time rehearsing. Nevertheless, my opinion of her didn’t ...

We live in a culture where we want everything. We used to be socially conscious. That’s understandable. No one wants to support brands which are outwardly cruel brands to different population segments. Sounds simple, right? If something you use comes out with some adverse views, you just stop using that product, right? There are other ...

It took only a few hours to obliterate the country. Then the skies cleared, and we crawled out of our houses on shaky limbs, fearful of what awaited us. The year was 2004, and our tiny island had been safe from catastrophe for over fifty years. One of the most destructive storms to cross the ...

Upon hearing of Daddy’s demise, John and I rush to call Mummy in Ottawa, Canada. Mummy reminds us to inform Kaushalya Aunty, Daddy’s older sister, of his passing. We drive to Oak Brook, where she lives with her daughter, Sucharita, and her family. Wailing and sobbing her heart out, my aunt insists on talking to ...

After a respectable passage of time, the Turkey crowd ribs John into dating again. They suggest a few possibilities at work, but John is not all that keen. His office mate, Dilish Adhikari, catches John tilting back in his chair to watch me walking down the hall. “Oh, you like Sunita, do you?” “Well, yes, ...

Hello newcomer How long have you been there? A stranger in a strange land Standing alone on harsh ground Living between a barbwire barrier And an untraveled highway  Where do you come from? My coloured one Where are you going? Within our vast island home I wonder. Will you be accepted? By other pretentious squatters  With tolerance and compassion 

“Hey, you! Come play with me.” “I can’t see you, Can you see me?” “I see a blop. Is that you?” “I’m a blop. What form are you?” “I’m formless, but I’m dense. I’m all around you, Blop.” “I feel you, Dense. What can we play?” “Hide and seek?” Said Dense “You’re everywhere,” Said Blop, ...

I meditate Letting go of aspirations, Letting in what is Under self-restricting views, Monitoring News. I’m slowly dissolving. Not quitting, not doubting, Attention to breathing Towards Present. In and out, in and out, On the way to Liberation. Neither this nor that – with you.   Love what is, Immediate and fulfilling, But never take ...

Mildred is enjoying her newfound freedom after her divorce from Ray. She hits the dating scene and immediately falls in love again. The tall, handsome Gene Gephardt is amiable and ambitious. He dreams of building an upscale nightclub and restaurant on the outskirts of Granite City. The location? Not too far from St. Louis but ...