Sheri in the Nation News, Barbados
I am famous in Barbados! I was featured in the newspaper.
Maybe not famous; I appeared on pages 14 & 15A – not exactly the front page. [And I am now known as Sheri Hoad, which apparently is a popular name locally.]
“Because they let me in.” That’s my answer when the reporter asked how I decided to come to Barbados. I completely bought into the marketing around the Welcome Stamp in 2020. I knew that I could not endure a winter lockdown in Canada. Barbados opened their arms and welcomed me at a time when most countries continued to close their borders.
To the reporter, I relived the moment when I walked out onto the terrace of the hotel room I was quarantined in Barbados and thought, I have never been so thankful to be somewhere in my entire life. I continue to be grateful to Barbados; I told the reporter about all the ways.
Sunset at Sugar Cane Club, St. Peter, Barbados
The thread that the reporter chose to focus was that I was less “intense” in my new life here. She used the word “salubrious” in her article. [I had to look this word up – it means health-giving.] I explained that my old life was quite intense and that I can only go back to North America for short periods of time because I feel that intensity when I am back. Some may argue that this is the pace that brought me success and got me where I am today. My friends from home comment that they like the “new” Sheri. I like her too.
Is this insane need for achievement come from within or does our society shape us to strive like this?
On one of our hiking outings, I was telling the group that I used to be so motivated. I worked hard and excelled at my career, my sports, my waistline, my ability to do crunches…and now, I find it hard to care about a lot of things. Erin, asked me, but are you happier now. Yes, I am.
After my last blog post, a friend from home emailed this:
I told you there would be someone out there for you. Maybe you just had to get the stars aligned, focus less on work and more on you and the move to Bermuda did just that.
By the way, everyone thinks I am in Bermuda or Bahamas. But the point is that the pandemic forced me to focus less on work (I didn’t have any) and the move to Barbados allowed me to focus more on me. I am grateful that I had the resources to do that.
Dropping in on my buddy Luke, with our friend Neil filming in the water. Credit: IG: flyguy_in_bim
For years I tried to make the big city North American lifestyle work for me. I accumulated wealth and recognition, and lost years of my life anxious and not sleeping. Those years were part of my journey, and I can’t change them, nor am I convinced that I would want to. But I sure as hell am going to learn from them and live the second half of my life differently in a salubrious environment. #bestmidlifecrisis
Well, you certainly have shown us that you can have it all – success, playing hard and love. And that you don’t have to kill yourself in the process. What it takes is having faith that following your dream is worth pulling all the stops, and to surrender one’s “old” self to embrace the new one.
Sylvia, I love what you wrote about surrendering one’s old self to embrace a new one. I am not even sure that I knew that was what I was doing…but I think that is what has happened.
I did say Bermuda, didn’t I. Of course I new you were in Barbados…Ha!!!
It is ok Lee, the only people that don’t ask me how I am doing in Bermuda or Bahamas are the ones living with me in Barbados. It was the sentiment of your email and I loved and appreciated it!
The sentiment remains the same no matter which island I put you on!