By J. T Tench
Chronixx in his song ‘Legend’ (part of the album, Chronology) sings “But if one person remembers my name/that means I made a change”. I will confess, that Chronixx is one of my favourite singers. Chronixx remixed – intentionally or not – the famous words of Mahatma Gandhi, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
Biases aside, however, these simple words will be the subject of this week’s lesson in not forgetting to be awesome.
To be a young person in St. Lucia is to be surrounded by multiple opinions about young people. The more opinionated quarters of society have used crime, delinquency, and truancy to define us. And, of course, we are blamed for crime, delinquency, and truancy. Recently, while walking in Castries, a first-former whose class I’d spoken to while they were still in grade six, called me while he was walking; told me he’s serious about school. I can hardly remember his name or face, but he remembers mine and my impact. I’d only spoken to the class for all of thirty minutes and lectured them in the usual “choose your friends wisely” speeches. Nothing that much.
It occurred to me that being a good influence on the people around you is as simple as them remembering your name, for good reasons. Don’t forget to be awesome, and to that end, don’t forget to be a young child’s reason to aspire for more. As young people, who are immediately painted with a black brush, don’t forget to prove naysayers and haters wrong. Without knowing it, we can help our fellow young people overcome insecurities, build healthy relationships, and be awesome. Despite the current climate, dear reader, Don’t Forget To Be Awesome.
