She Made A Difference

Greetings to my loyal readers. (I am so tempted to write: Dear Reader a la Lady Whistledown. 😉) The time is flying by. Between my responsibilities at work while acting in a higher position, being distracted by Bridgerton Season 2 🔥 and having 2 elderly dependents, I hardly have time to post. 

I am sorry to disappoint the "regulars". Whoever you are, I love you for your faithfulness to Keeping Buzzy.😍

Today is National Heroes Day in Barbados - and I spent my morning in online work-related meetings. Yes. 😫 It's a challenging time. To the Barbadian readers, a very Happy National Heroes Day to you.

In Barbados, the national heroes are being celebrated in song and with informative clips on their contribution to building this nation. I've featured some before with interesting dramatizations produced by the Barbados Government Information Service. If you've not visited that page, please do. I hope you will enjoy them.

Today, the Government of Barbados recognised healthcare workers for their tireless contribution to the local fight against COVID-19 over the last 2 years. My hero tribute today goes to Dr. Bronwen Glasford, who successfully treated my grandmother through a recent health crisis. My grandmother has since turned 99 years old. I have to thank everyone who also upheld her in prayer. It could've gone very differently; that is why I am thankful to Dr. Glasford. 🙏 

I don't know if my gran will live to see her 100th birthday as she became increasingly frail over the last 2 years. So, I'm sparing some thought for her today. She has battled long and hard in life and is to this day a survivor - especially since my mother and I both survived COVID-19 and were in home isolation where she lives with us. All 3 of us had a cough the same weekend. I knew to get them tested, I would need to get tested. I was positive. Then, my Mom was tested some days later. She was positive. Gran squirmed and knocked away the health worker's hand so I said not to do the test. The assumption is she would've been positive too. But we'll never know. 

As soon as my mother and I were discharged, a pre-existing problem became exacerbated and that was my Gran's health crisis. See why I have to be thankful? I know it's the grace and mercy of the Almighty that has kept her - well the 3 of us. So, I invite you to listen to this rendition of Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) by the lovely country singer, Reba McEntire. I originally had the Pentatonix version, but I had a change of heart and opted to feature a female. 

"My chains are gone, I've been set free,/My God, my Saviour has ransomed me/And like a flood His Mercy rains/Unending love, Amazing grace."

I know there are a lot of unbelievers in the world, but I can testify of healing and the power of prayer. I did not intend to preach today. That's how it goes sometimes. 

On that note, I'll leave you with this tribute to Barbados' first female National Hero, the Right Excellent Sarah Ann Gill, performed by another of my favourite entertainers, Edwin Yearwood and Krosfyah. You can follow the link to hear the song. ☝ 

An artist's depiction of Barbados' fighter for religious freedom, the Rt. Excellent Sarah Ann Gill

I recently observed that of all of Barbados' National Heroes, it is the women, the Right Excellent Sarah Ann Gill and the Right Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty who've had a far-reaching international impact. The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers' cricketing exploits made him the most celebrated Barbadian known internationally - until Rihanna came on the scene. I don't need to recap her humanitarian work, business savvy or success as an entertainer. Follow the links for previous posts on her talents. While Sarah's petitions to the British Parliament (Barbados was a British colony from the 17th century until independence in 1966) resulted in the passage, in 1825, of legislation against religious persecution across all of the colonies. 

Until next time...

Shalom 🙏