Endless Summer

Summer cyah done. Kes was right.

I mean sure, the earth can revolve around the sun the requisite number of times, and in places where temperature is dictated by seasons, there will be noticeable chill in the air, but that doesn’t mean summer ends. The spirit of summer is always tucked away in the hearts and minds of students looking forward to months of freedom, people with wanderlust that seek new adventures and men who yearn for shrinking hemlines.

Mostly, summer, this summer cyah done for me because I enjoyed every single moment of it. I LIVED! For the first time in a long time I stopped dreaming about being able to wake up and do what I wanted with my life. I coloured in a children’s colouring book with wax crayons, took leisurely walks to the beach, read uncomplicated novels and yes, even text books for fun.I painted, albeit badly. I juiced vegetables and fruits, exercised, ate good food (that wasn’t rice and peas- sorry Jamaicans), drank cocktails and mixed drinks, spent entire nights on my feet dancing, invested into relationships that I hold dear and even showered outdoors (wait is that illegal? Never- mind, I didn’t do that).  

This summer though, was about a little bit more than inhibition and fun. It was about re-evaluating my goals, ensuring that I stay on track in terms of accomplishing them, investing heavily into myself and becoming a better individual personally and professionally. I took advantage of the fact that I had all this time on my hands and a need for experience in my new chosen field. I wrote articles for this same blog, in order to satisfy my inner need to just write, and to hone my skills in order to serve me well when I re-enter the workforce. I also had the amazing opportunity to intern at Rogers Radio under the guidance of a very good friend and an excellent producer Alicia Ward, Denise Francis and *gasp* renowned broadcast journalist Julian Rogers. It was a fairly short internship, but what I take away from the experience is far more valuable than the time invested there. I have new skills; new contacts and my existing skills are more technically sound. What’s more, the experience has solidified that my truth is to be in the communication field. There’s no other vocation that will make me feel more at home in my own skin, or any more fulfilled. As the late Steve Jobs rightly said, the only way to do great work is to do what you love. I’d do this for free- and still be happy. That’s saying something.

Yet another reason I’m convicted that summer cyah done, is the fact that two things stood out for me over this summer. Firstly, you’d be surprised at the windows of opportunity that will open if only you just ask. Too often in the past I wished and thought to myself “that would be nice” or “if only…”, asking and actively seeking out what I wanted changes a hope into reality. Secondly, not only am I meant to be a communicator, I’m meant to tell our stories, Antiguan stories, Caribbean stories, black stories. It’s an incredibly liberating feeling to be confronted by your sense of purpose…equally liberating and empowering. For all these things, it’s impossible for summer to end. Summer has brought me unbridled joy, growth and purpose. These convictions do not fade into nothingness when the dates slide off the face of a calendar. Summer cyah done because, the lessons and experiences I have will always be inside me, will always be put to use.

There’s something about summer that brings the desire to relax, have fun and be free. That feeling, that summer spirit is infectious and it’s not going anywhere. May we all have many more blissful, endless summers.