Dear Editor,

It was a cool tropical morning, the many birds were chirping away as the sun rose slowly above the immortelle trees in the east. In the cup was coffee brewed to perfection. The sips were slow and deliberate, and apart from the noisy parrots that flew overhead, the morning was peaceful and beautiful. The cost of the cup of coffee was that of the preparation and the ingredients.

What a wonderful morning, the sun rose lazily from the horizon in the calm Pacific Ocean. The deck of the yacht was clean and white. The maid came out with a silver platter filled with blue and white cups and saucers with gold rims. The coffee was heated to perfection and the aroma that filled the cool morning air was punctuated with the fresh, salty smell of the ocean.

The sips were fulfilling.

The cost of that cup of coffee was the ingredients, the maid service, the yacht, the crew, and the fuel to arrive at the destination.

In life we tend to believe that because some things are more expensive or exotic they are better. But coffee in an expensive environment is not much different from that sitting on a porch in one’s home. So is it with many things in life. The joy of watching your child or grandchild play with a cardboard box is no less than seeing them play with a very expensive toy.

As we enter this Christmas season of gifts, parties, and much spending, it may be instructive to think about what brings us joy and happiness versus what gives us the feeling of importance as we try to impress others.

This should make us aware of where we are as small islands in the southern Caribbean Sea. We are unique. We have two major races that comprise most of our population. This has allowed us the opportunity to fall in love with the creative cultural dishes from doubles to bake and shark, from roti to pelau, and the many different sweets that are part of our daily menu. We have beautiful beaches, rivers, waterfalls, mountains, and swamps. We have one of the world’s best underground caves.

As we celebrate this Christmas season we should reflect on the beauty of simplicity and the joy that is possible if we were to stop running after the impressive and embrace the ordinary. If we can do that, we would see how ridiculous it is for us to vote for one sect over the other rather than vote for our people to have a better life. A better life that is only possible with unity and love.

This Christmas season let us give ourselves the gift of simplicity, love, forgiveness, and acceptance of selfless change.

Coffee doesn’t have to cost thousands or millions to be satisfying. Our future does not have to be based on the result of divisive political campaigns. It just requires us to simply embrace hope for a better tomorrow.

Steve Alvarez

Trinidad and Tobago

bilcoa@hotmail.com