The Tribune

By BIANCA CARTER

For a couple weeks now I have used and heard these three words over and over, “Are you OK?” I started many conversations with these words.

It’s true that when times of trouble and turmoil come, most humans feel the yearning to help and console each other. Doesn’t it sometimes feel that we are our highest and best selves when all we have to rely on is each other?

In the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew and the destruction it left behind, so many families are trying to put the pieces back together. It’s been almost two weeks and many families in New Providence are desperately waiting for their power to be restored. There’s been crippling devastation not only in Nassau, but in our Family Islands, in Haiti, Cuba and the United States. It’s heartbreaking to watch such tragedy, and yet in our country, despite the horrific damage, we thankfully lost no lives.

Although “things aren’t things”, as Bahamian’s would say, we must remember how resilient we are and how blessed we are despite our surroundings. Things take time, and sometimes things don’t go as planned. Occasionally things take longer than expected to sort through, but in the end humans can overcome.

No one really knows why these things happen. There really doesn’t seem to be an appropriate or acceptable reason for these occurrences, and not in a meteorological sense, but rather in the more spiritual sense. But what I can say is that witnessing acts of kindness, love and support when these things happen show me that when human beings are stripped down to their core, to the roots and bareness of their inner selves, there is no place for selfishness and ego, the only things that usually come through are love and humility.

It’s a shame that we all have to go through trials and tribulations in our lives to understand what life is meant to be like. What’s important and what matters most in life has nothing to do with selfishness, material things and accolades, but rather it’s about love and helping others. It’s in our nature to help each other. Could it be that somewhere along the way we’ve distracted ourselves from our natural truth?

Love and hugs!