donalddeanchambers

Table – A Metaphor for Life

As the nation-states of the Caribbean wrestle with serious socio-economic challenges such as corruption, waste, nepotism, and violent crimes, I offer an insight for contemplation. Imagine an individual, a human family, a society, and a nation as a four-legged table. Each leg symbolizes one aspect of who they are – a physical, spiritual, social, andContinue reading “Table – A Metaphor for Life”

Personal, Communal and Human Growth

Day after day, I raptly gaze at my growing Noni tree. Starting from a tiny shoot, and now a full-blown tree, gifting, not just to itself, but to the garden community, and the environment. As roots traverse deeper and deeper into the soil, absorbing rich nutrients, invisibly transporting them up the trunks, quietly producing branches,Continue reading “Personal, Communal and Human Growth”

Synodality – Listening to Voice of Creation

The theme of the 5th Annual St. Francis Canticle Award Ceremony for children and schools, organized by the Franciscan Institute, was “Listen to the Voice of Creation.” What is meant by “Listen to the Voice of Creation?” Listening is used as a metaphor for awareness. The voice is a metaphor for communicating messages about situationsContinue reading “Synodality – Listening to Voice of Creation”

Synodal Preparation

Life is like a marathon race or a mountainous hike. It tests our spiritual, physical, emotional, and social competencies. There are overflowing and overwhelming surprises, creating disruption, dislocation, and disequilibrium, leaving us with bruises and scars – some visible, others invisible – and sometimes exiling us. We see and encounter the wounded soldiers of lifeContinue reading “Synodal Preparation”

Step to Humility

Mango, Mango, Mango all over the place. Summer is mango season in the Caribbean. Mango trees decorated with yellow mangoes, Mangoes splattered on the ground like carpet. Mangoes on roadside stalls, Mangoes on market stalls, Mangoes on country road, Mango smell perfuming the air, Rotten mangoes attracting flies. MANGO TREE Step One: Emmanuel – GodContinue reading “Step to Humility”

Building an authentic legacy

THE EDITOR: Sir, Recently, Ambassador Aloun Ndombet-Assamba had a Facebook post entitled “Some of PNP’s Legacy Projects and Achievements”. Honestly, it was an impressive and informative list of pre and post Independence achievements. More recently, Prime Minister Andrew Holness remarked about his own legacy. He is quoted as saying, “I have to start to think aboutContinue reading “Building an authentic legacy”

Creation – A Grain of Sand

We are like grains of sand on the long stretch of the Manzanilla Beach.Manzanilla Beach is but a tiny fraction of coastal Trinidad.Coastal Trinidad is but an island in the archipelago of Caribbean islands.Caribbean islands are but a tiny fraction of the Caribbean Sea.The Caribbean Sea is but a tiny fraction of water sandwiched betweenContinue reading “Creation – A Grain of Sand”

New Ways of Praying

I learnt to swim in a swimming pool at high school. Since that time swimming has been a regular part of my exercise regime. After decades of swimming alone, I joined a swimming class with a professional coach. From those sessions, I discovered that science, research, and experience have inspired advanced swimming techniques. Acquiring theseContinue reading “New Ways of Praying”

No sidewalks on Irwin Road expose students to danger

THE EDITOR, Madam: The quality of construction, management and sustainability of a country’s public social institutions and physical infrastructure is a mirror of the mentality and perception of the government towards the people who elected them. Around the time of the dismissal of schools, I drove along the Tucker main road in St. James, andContinue reading “No sidewalks on Irwin Road expose students to danger”

Synodality – Graced Journey

I have vivid memories of my first road trip to the Cumana Retreat House of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, Cumana, Trinidad and Tobago. I was generously gifted with clear instructions to locate it. “Pay keen attention to the concrete milestones along the roadway. The most important one is milestone number 33.5”. DrivingContinue reading “Synodality – Graced Journey”