You Are Residents
Our beautiful island in the sun, St Lucia, is only twenty seven miles long by fourteen miles wide.
There is one main road all round the edge; and we are in the North, on quite a thin bit. It means that once off the main road, we quite quickly reach the sea...
Last night we planned to go for a four mile evening run, and decided to explore the harbour at Rodney bay for a possible 'run in the dark route'. After almost exactly two miles from where we set off out of our 'front door' we reached the edge of the land...
The water was lapping quietly and glinting in the moon light, which was still bright with its full Virgo passion; four guys were getting their fishing tackle ready and glanced briefly up at us as we wandered onto the small beach... 'Well that's out four miles run then', I said, as we turned and started to jog home....
We now have adapted our Friday night jamboree - we skirt around the back of the crowds of people past the church, down a street with the band playing at the end.
We can hear the music, and see the bright lights and movement of throngs of dancing joyous leaping folk... And here we have discovered 'Flavours of the grill' - who do an awesome barbeque every Friday Gros Islet party night!
Gemma, our regular waitress, looked after us, we know her well now; and the chef too with the bright bright eyes; I mentioned his eyes and the light in them to Anadi... 'Yes' he said 'he is a bright person'.
The music was beating with a rhythm that moved your body into the dance, Anadi came back to where I was sitting having gone to order a drink.. He and Gemma came through the door together, both moving to the beat... I laughed and clapped... 'Well you gotta enjoy life', she said as she sashe'd around the floor, picking up plates and glasses as she went, moving her hips in a rhythmic, fluid, joyous jive...
She then came and stood by our table and was asking us about our life... She was born here, and has always lived in Gros Islet... 'But I would like to travel too; I would like to have some new experiences, and see new things and different people and places' she said...
'I find it a good experience to travel' I said 'And I have discovered there are more similarities than differences between us all... I believe everyone would see this too,' I continued, 'if the barriers that perceive difference as something to be wary of were let down, and instead we embraced the different influences experiences and expressions of each other, it would make it more possible to see the similarity of our souls, shining with the same light of love and recognition....'
Gemma nodded, and smiled, aware that after inititally being quite shy with us a few weeks ago; we are more like her than she first realised...
Today we have walked once more to the top of Pigeon island... Tomorrow we are running the 'colour run', very early in the morning! So, as we have trained harder and longer this week that the previous three, a 'walk in the park' felt a good option...
On the way there, two little boys stopped us; 'do you want to ride some horses?' We said we didn't at the moment 'okay then' the youngest said, realising this entreprenerial bid hadn't born fruit... 'Please can I have a dollar' (Eastern Caribbean Dollare are circa four for one English pound) 'What do you want a dollar for?' I smiled, 'for some juice ma'am...'
I didn't have a dollar, so I gave him a five dollar note and said 'that's to share with your friend...' His eyes were bright with delight, and then they were gone, racing off to the shop together...
As we arrived at the gate to get into Pigeon island, I handed over 40 EC dollars at the desk - it is 18EC each to gain entrance... The lady on the desk, who remembers us well from our wedding last year greeted us warmly, and looking at the money I was offering, pushed back one of the 20 dollar notes and said I only want 7 EC each from you, residents rate...' You are residents here now...
The planet our home.
