Yes We Can

US President Barack Obama has proven to the world what he believed all along when he used as his mantra “YES WE CAN”. In his inauguration speech he made a call to Americans to once again believe in their ability to accomplish great things against all odds and in the face of many adversities.

Well, I simply must say that Jamaicans as a people can teach many a lesson in accomplishing mighty feats despite all odds, and I dare say, be inspired to continue to do the same even now as the mother of all crisis appears to be upon the world.

· Havn’t we recovered from Gilbert?
· Havn’t we too survived many a financial crisis?
· What about our musicians?
· Our athletes?
· Our scholars?
· Our Entrepreneurs and Business moguls?

We are all too familiar with the immense challenges faced in all these arenas and yet look at the accomplishments of for example - Bob Marley, Merlene Ottey, Courtney Walsh, Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt, Thalia Lyn (Island Grill), Douglas Orane (GraceKennedy), Wayne Chen (Super Plus), Donna Duncan-Scott (JMMB), and Professor Rex Nettleford to name just a few.

We are resourceful people. We only have to look at a group of children at play to see just how resourceful we could be.

Earlier this week on my way from work, I was sitting in a long line of traffic on the outskirts of the community of Southborough when I saw a group of boys donned in school uniforms playing a vigorous game of football. They were playing in a very narrow strip of ‘dust’ near the road. My first thoughts were that these boys had no regard for their uniforms and school shoes as they tussled around in the dirt – not a care in the world. I then thought about how dangerous it was to be playing so close to the road. I realized my concern was misplaced as they were quite skillful and the game was very much under control. But wait, I only then realized that their football was an empty plastic soda bottle – all flattened out and gnarled. Mind you, their moves were no less dexterous and intense. Well, I had to keep looking. Then I noticed that one boy was sitting on the ground while the others played seemingly around him, kicking up no end of dust in the process. Again, my motherly instincts kicked in and I was appalled. I studied the boy on the ground wondering why on earth they were kicking around him like that and why he was sitting on the ground. As I shifted my view to the wider group I realized that there was another boy sitting on the ground and it became apparent to me that these two boys on the ground were no less than - the goal posts!!

I just had to laugh. It was amazing to me. And I thought ……….. imagine, look at how they just made do with what they had. They were so happy and uncaring, enjoying their game. Why can’t we adults do the same? We wallow in self pity and pessimism– oh we don’t have the money, the technology, the manpower, it’s too risky, too messy, etc. etc. etc.

Oh to be like a child again! Why don’t we call on those childlike qualities that I’m sure still reside in us - imagination, creativity, hope, persistence, spunk? I’m sure if we all were to adopt a childlike “yes we can” attitude, we can survive any crisis that we now face or may face in the future.