Winds

This is a chapter from my fifth book called Freedom

Growing up in the tropics I got used to needing a fan on me at all times to keep cool. Only the rich could afford air conditioning when I was growing up. The fan breeze even with its humming was what sent me to sleep and kept the mosquitos away at night. My job was to clean the fans and even oil it when it needed to be oiled. Island breezes are a quintessential Caribbean experience. I remember basking in the very windy side of Pigeon Point beach. This made it my favorite beach in Tobago. I remember leaving the front and back doors open at the apartment I was staying in Tobago and allowing the cool Tobago breeze to fill the room while I slept. I remember experiencing kite flying in the savannah for Easter weekend. I remember driving through the mountains to Maracas with the winds hitting my face. I love the huge overhead fans at the Center of Excellence. Stormy and windy nights are not to be left out. Even though no one wants the damage of storms they do have the effect of uniting us in solidarity and taking our attention away from the usual. I think storms are God's way of reminding us about working together, helping one another and what is most important.

Wind has the word win in it. I feel like a winner with the wind on my body and blowing over my face with a smile. Wind is the start of window. The wind travels the world and brings a breath of fresh air once we open the window. Every day we get a chance to open our window to new experiences and new opportunities. The wind brings freedom from stagnation. It moves us in the direction of what is good for us along the winding road of life. If we flip the w in wind we get mind. The mind wants to be free like the wind. We cannot see the wind but we can feel it, experience it and see the effects of it. Believing in God is the same. Faith is like the wind. We must let go and let God. In doing research for this chapter I learnt that Stanford University's unofficial motto is Die Luft der Freiheit weht, which translates to "the wind of freedom blows". I read that the motto reflects the university's belief that freedom of inquiry, speech, and thought are the foundation of education. Education is useful when it is used for good like making sure that everyone lives with freedom and peace.

When I think of the wind I think of the Scorpions song "Wind of change" which has over one billion views on youtube. The Scorpions performed in Trinidad on September 23, 2008 as part of their Humanity world tour. Wind of Change was the 13th song on the set list. The concert was held at Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain. The local band Orange Sky opened for them that night. The crowd was estimated to be about 12,000 persons. The Wind of Change song has become a peace anthem over the years. The song’s sentiments of hope and peace in the context of the politics and happenings at that time resonates with many persons and the world we lived in and even to this day. I hope the winds of change blow away the conflicts of the world today and forever. I hope we see an end to what is happening in Palestine. It is not a good representation of the love that is possible. We should be loving one another instead of fighting each other. There is no we versus them. There is only one humanity. One love. The world wants freedom for the people of Palestine. "Tyranny anywhere is a threat to freedom everywhere" is a quote from The Peasant Prince and in my mind reminds us that we should be our brother's keeper. Let the winds carry these sorts of messages throughout the world and bring the changes the world wants and needs.

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