Author Archives: donalddeanchambers

Carefully, I watched my friend’s baby as he awakes. His restless body wiggles and contorts in his warm bed. Bit by bit his eyes open to the world and he responds by crying. “Does he feel alone or abandoned?” But, the crying ceases when the long arms of one of his parents grab him upContinue reading “Prayer”

There’s order in chaos . . .It’s about being in the eye of the storm” – Ohad Naharin. From childhood, I am programmed to befriend order and reject chaos. I was diligently taught that it’s impossible for chaos and order to mix, like water and oil. This military-like programming excluded friendships with perceived chaotic people.Continue reading “Chaos and Order”

Saturday night  During a WhatsApp conversation, a friend laments his utter disgust with group work assignment for an academic course. There are the procrastinators, free riders, minimalistic contributors, the talkers, the lazy ones, and others having a combination of at least two of these traits. Let’s not forget the saviour of the group who ensuresContinue reading “Universalism”

There is a well-known folktale about a peasant who had a beautiful white horse. One night the horse ran away. When the neighbors learn of his misfortune, they come to offer their sympathy, saying, “We are so sorry for your bad luck.” They are surprised by their neighbor’s response when he says, “Could be bad luck; couldContinue reading “Folktale”

On the feast of St. John Vianney (August 4), the priests of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain celebrated a virtual day of recollection. There was a video presentation by Archbishop Socrates Buenaventura Villegas of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Philippines. He reflected on the meaning of our priesthood in COVID-19 times. Creatively, he used theContinue reading “Listening to the Heartbeat of Jesus”

Travelling in my carbon-producing motor car, the British Broadcasting Corporation news grabbed my attention. Italy records its highest temperature, 48 degrees Celsius. Algeria mourns the death of 65 persons due to summer wildfires. An island off the coast of Greece is a burning furnace.  Thousands evacuated. California battling major forest fires. Severe flooding on theContinue reading “Climate”

In the mornings, my body is like an old locomotive steam-driven train creeping like molasses in winter. In the evenings, prior to my body’s starting gun firing to begin my exercise routine, my body sluggishly goes to the starting spot. Sometimes, my “Things To Do” lists remain incomplete because of an infection of the virusContinue reading “Listening to the Body”

Growing up I was extremely shy about dancing, especially partner dancing. But I would stand in great awe admiring two persons dancing, moving in sync, gently carrying each other, one humbly leading, the other humbly following.  As an adult, I got hypnotized by the dancers on the cable programme Dancing with the Stars. My eyes…Continue reading “Humility and Ego”

Recently, I  was in awe of the manifestation of vulnerability among my brother priests.  My colleague and friend, Esteban Kross, Suriname, was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. He travelled to Holland for medical treatment. One day, I messaged him to enquire about his progress. He responded: Hi Don. My update: On Wednesday an uncle andContinue reading “Vulnerability and Priesthood”

Fr. Martin and I took an afternoon “Emmaus Walk” through the village of Blanchisseuse, Trinidad.  We passed small quaint old houses, million-dollar beachside resorts, COVID-19 lonely village shops, a Catholic, the graves befriend overgrown grass and foliage and sporing an an upside down sign marked “Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Cemetery”, half-opened village barsContinue reading “Emmaus Walk”