Current affaires, business and The Caribbean

The largest Tourism show (ITB Berlin) in Europe just ended. On the second day, we received the sad news about the situations in Japan. However, business went on as usual. I was at the Aruba stand handling a full agenda of meetings and appointments. Things for Aruba are looking good. A small part we play in what is keeping this world go round.

Going into the ITB my head was full of chatter and thoughts. It was a cocktail of recent privatisation/re-organisation, marketing plans, budgets, happy and not so happy people, The Middle-East, local politics, a sick grandmother of 92, contract negotiations, cash-flow problems and my personal stuff.

The world does not show mercy on you, this is life. The Dharma, the one truth, the one and only law if you will. In western terms: These things come with the job. Then watching the images from Japan on the news, puts things back into perspective. Don’t take life and yourself too serious, it is all impermanent.

Nevertheless all these things can get to you and cause some stress. So….how to handle this the Caribbean way?

Currently, the Caribbean has this romantic and exotic image of bei

Image via Wikipedia

ng the most relaxing and fun place on earth. Has it always been like this? I have read and learned a bit about our history. Not so relaxed and fun at all. Slavery, bloodshed, genocide, disease, racism and exploitation. Some of these still go on, however, in comparison, it is much better now.

One of the Caribbean’s greatest heroes, Toussaint l’Ouverture, has been through similar situations as I am encountering now (not that I can compare myself and my situation with him, but at the basis it can be compared a bit).

Toussaint did what he believed in and he was pushed by goodness and love for his people and country (and by people we are talking all races here, he did not discriminate). He came from nothing and grew to become a loved and respected General (also feared by his enemy). It is said that he did sleep only 3 – 4 hours a day while carrying out battles, thinking of strategies, running the country (Haiti and at some point the Dominican Republic as well) and taking are of his family. His life drifted through bloody periods, then prosperity and bloody again. In the end he died alone and forgotten in a dungeon far away from his beloved Caribbean.

Reflecting on this I sometimes think about what I am doing and why I am doing it. The same reasons Toussaint did. Will I gain glory? Will I go down empty handed and be forgotten?

The Caribbean way tells me that the reasons mentioned above should be enough. Glory is secondary and not real. All is impermanent. Surprisingly these things are also taught in Eastern/Asian wisdom. I’ve practiced and learned a bit of Japanese Zen Buddhism for the past years and therefore it helps answer my question:

What is a Caribbean boy into marketing to do amidst all these current affaires, pressures and life? What can I do to help?

Take it day by day, be driven by the love of what it is you are doing and never mind the rest.

It might not be a practical consolation, nevertheless….to all our Japanese brothers and sisters….. you will manage and get out of your current situation.

As Mr Paulo Coelho says: the one who fights a good fight on a daily basis will be redeemed.

Never give up, keep on going, one love …from the Caribbean 2 the World/Japan/New Zealand/Haiti/Libia/Tunisia/Egypt/Zimbabwe…./…./…../…..

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