Simone, I don’t think that is a good idea!”

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Greetings Toronto Caribbeans!

I am sure many of you are excited because the sun is starting to shine a little more, and the temperature is rising. That is a lot to be excited about; it lets us know that we have time to change, and we can change with the season.

I wanted to share a quick story, and then I will jump into our topic for this edition. I was speaking to my wonderful friend Trish Browning – who happens to be the female energy running the paper – and I told her that I was thinking of giving up my column because I thought that it was time that I focused on the other writing assignments I had. Plus, we have some exciting new writers joining us, and I thought it would be a great opportunity for someone to take my space. Trish’s answer surprised me; she said, “Simone I don’t think it is a good idea to give up your column.” I won’t lie; I was shocked by her answer. “Well, why not Trish!”

Her answer resonated through me, and I had to sit back in my chair for a moment.

“Simone, your column is timeless. The things you write about are necessary for our community. They will never go out of style, they are not trending topics; they are topics that will continue to be relevant years from now.”

I sat with that for a moment and really took it in. When I write, I do so to share all that I have learned. I want others to experience the slow, but the steady success that I have achieved. I have learned that in order to truly live a life of contentment, one has to stay evolving.

What does evolving look like? Well, it is different for everyone, because we all start out in different situations, and have different experiences. Your evolution could be as simple as getting rid of someone in your life who was negative. It could be graduating from University and thinking, what’s next? It could be looking at your rounding belly, as you get prepare to welcome a life into the world. Whatever it is, you have to go through all of the growing pains and learn from them. With each experience, a clearer picture of your purpose will begin to emerge, but you have to be paying attention to it. This conversation with Trish showed me where I had evolved, and how I had evolved.

It took me a while to start this article, and with reflection, I think I know why. It was time to separate myself from my ego. It was important to take in what Trish had said, and not let it go to my head. My skills and talents were given to me, and they have only become stronger because I have worked tirelessly on them. This has meant many early mornings, and late nights. This has meant nights when I come home, and my partner Dave puts a plate of hot food in front of me – God bless his heart- I eat, knock out for two to three hours, and then I am up again. I have sat many risings, watching the sun come over the horizon, taking in the stillness, and then that break in stillness. It is humbling when you look back at the work that you have put in, only to realize that you have just started.

A Better Tomorrow is not going anywhere, and I want to thank Trish Browning for reminding me that my work here on earth is important. Having people in your life remind you of your importance is not about having people stroke your ego. It is a reminder that you are here for a purpose, one that goes beyond your own imagination.