Catherine Da Silva

Dear friends:

It is a great pleasure to introduce our friend and guest blogger, Ms. Catherine Da Silva, a consultant and writer  from Trinidad and Tobago. She has produced reports for the United Nations Development Program (Eastern Caribbean) in Volunteerism-The Sustainability Report and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report ,tourism material and written several business articles for Contact .

She has served as Managing Editor for : “Oaths of Allegiance-A Biographical Profile of the Heads of State of the Common Wealth Caribbean” ,”Drapeau De La Liberte -History of the Leadership of Haiti  in retrospect 1789 to present”  (by Albert Sydney) ;”Post ,Past and Present -History of the Postal Corporation in Trinidad and Tobago”, “Forgetting Forever”(Pat Da Costa) and “How to Eradicate Poverty” (Michael Samuel).

She holds a BA (Hons) in French and English Literature University of the West Indies,  a Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations (Dip,IR), Certificate in Advanced French CIRECCA -University of Martinique and ACS certification in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) . She serves as a member in the Board of Directors of the Princess Elizabeth Home  and the Caribbean Health Foundation. Cara Cathy, avanti!

“Forging the Free- Up Mentality”

 My homeland has had to date 339 murders. Life appears to be senseless at times. A young girl about to embark on a promising future, wraps a  cord around her neck and then to the rafters, a broken -hearted lover ploughs a car into the side of a cliff and plummets to the sea ; an angry driver stabs another in the middle of a traffic intersection.In the US there are in excess of 40,000 suicides annually , the world is at war and at war with itself.

To say we’re angry  and insecure would be an understatement.Who created this mess ?  We did.  Life’s challenges can bring no end of stress and strife .To combat such rigors one must  plan to make the best of one’s life in every moment . Admittedly, I tell my kids  “you grow where you are planted’..  meaning .. be content .. if we give ourselves the deserved break to break away from the norms and stereotypes , we bloom , life unravels in a most ostentatious way. Call it Faith, deem it Hope . Keeping the marbles in tact for the game of life is imperative to getting the best out of it and giving your best back .

How can we preserve the mental fortitude for combat?  First by taking care of our physical beings ..we are what we eat. Fresh wholesome foods and beverages with a few luxuries to punctuate our menu can keep our mental space healthier . Water our everything.. 90 % of our brain matter is water so fill’er up ! Sunlight – outdoor recreation replenishes our zest for life. Preserve a good disposition. This comes with the composition of time.Time is about the only free gift we have and the best things in life are Free. Craft your day . Take charge of your time and space .  As we say in the islands “Free up.” Cook , eat ,drink ,sing, dance, plant,sew, draw .paint, talk, walk,run,laugh, smile, give, share, stay silent… These are our natural preservatives. See the lighter side of things No fuss . No fret. Just free.

Prevention is better than cure . Mind your choices to keep Peace of mind. Meditation,prayer and hallowed time spent alone are all contributors to a quality journey. Nothing is had in desperation . Self -healing  comes through  deep down  self  exploration -a good look in the mirror! .Most of our childhood legacies show up in later life as joy or pain. Sift them and simmer for balance.. So many humans across the globe are unable through in humane conditions to even breathe pure air as they are bombarded by hate and war . Send light often to those in the stratosphere . Be Light.